Dillon Gabriel lands on IR, handing Browns QB job to Watson

Just three days after looking like the best quarterback on Cleveland's roster, Dillon Gabriel is headed to injured reserve. The Browns announced the move as part of their cuts to 53 on August 30, placing Gabriel on IR with a back injury and designating him to return.

Mary Kay Cabot

@MaryKayCabot

#Browns are placing QB Dillon Gabriel on IR with a back injury. Designated to return.

The timing stings. Gabriel went 12-of-15 for 186 yards and 3 touchdowns in the first half alone against the Patriots in the preseason finale, the kind of stat line that gets a backup quarterback talked about around the league. Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport were both on it live as Gabriel kept finding the end zone.

Adam Schefter

@AdamSchefter

Browns QB Dillon Gabriel now has thrown three touchdowns in the first half vs. the Patriots.

According to Adam Schefter, Gabriel actually hurt the back during that same finale, felt pain the following day, and an MRI on Saturday confirmed something serious enough to force Cleveland's hand. Mary Kay Cabot had flagged it in real time — Gabriel was noticeably absent from the QB/WR drill Saturday morning, with Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Taylen Green taking every rep instead. The injury will keep him out a minimum of 4 games, per the Browns' announcement.

That absence reshuffles a QB room that was already crowded. Deshaun Watson was named the starter on August 24, with Sanders as his backup, closing out a competition that had stretched through the offseason and into camp. Todd Monken had spent the week publicly wrestling with what to do about Gabriel and rookie Taylen Green, telling reporters the Browns simply "can't keep everybody."

Gabriel's IR trip solved that math for him. With Gabriel out, sixth-round rookie Taylen Green — a 6-6 quarterback who reportedly ran a 4.36 at his pro day — has made the 53-man roster as Cleveland's QB3, at least until Gabriel is eligible to return.

Mary Kay Cabot

@MaryKayCabot

#Browns QB Taylen Green has made the 53-man roster, source tells clevelanddotcom.

The designation to return means Gabriel isn't gone for the year — Cleveland can activate him after Week 4 without burning a fresh roster spot on him now, which is exactly the kind of workaround teams use to stash a young arm they still believe in. But for a rookie third-round pick who just authored the best half of preseason football on the roster, watching the job get handed to Watson and Sanders from injured reserve is a rough way to open his first pro season.