The Cleveland Browns activated quarterback Dillon Gabriel to the 53-man roster on Monday, ending his stint on injured reserve and forcing a corresponding move that sent rookie tight end Carsen Ryan to waivers.

The decision keeps four quarterbacks on the active roster for the time being: established starter Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Gabriel, and undrafted rookie Taylen Green.

Head coach Todd Monken had indicated earlier in the day that retaining the full group remained an option, even joking that the Browns could theoretically add a fifth if the opportunity arose.

Gabriel’s return followed a prolonged recovery from a back injury that placed him on injured reserve on August 30.

He became eligible to practice on October 6 and worked his way into full participation the following week, though he remained inactive for Sunday’s narrow 27-24 victory over the Tennessee Titans.

The activation came just ahead of a Tuesday deadline that would have ended his season had the Browns chosen not to restore him to the roster.

A 2025 third-round selection, Gabriel appeared in 10 games as a rookie, starting six.

He completed 110 of 185 passes for 937 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions, though Cleveland went 1-5 in those starts before Sanders took over for the final seven contests.

The current circumstances differ markedly. The Browns sit at 5-2 and atop the AFC North under Monken, with Watson coming off his first 300-yard passing performance in a Cleveland uniform.

Watson threw for 308 yards and added a rushing touchdown against Tennessee while engineering his fifth fourth-quarter game-winning drive of the season, moving the offense 55 yards in the closing minute to set up the decisive field goal.

Reporting from cleveland.com indicated that Sanders is expected to remain the primary backup, with the organization pleased by his development and open to trading either Sanders or Gabriel only if another club presents an offer too substantial to decline.

That flexibility could prove relevant as the November 10 trade deadline approaches.

How the Browns will structure their game-day quarterback hierarchy remains unresolved.

Watson has handled the starting duties, Sanders has served as the immediate backup, and Green has occupied the emergency role.

Gabriel’s return adds depth but does not automatically reorder that arrangement, particularly with the team already positioned near the top of its division and focused on maintaining continuity while evaluating its options through the deadline.