As the Cleveland Browns approached Sunday’s NFL roster cutdown date, one of the most interesting developments focused on what the team would do at quarterback. Sure, Deshaun Watson is the starter, Shedeur Sanders is the backup, but what about Dillon Gabriel and sixth-round rookie Taylen Green?
Would they really keep four quarterbacks on their roster?
Surprisingly, four teams did keep four QBs on their initial 53-man roster. The Browns weren’t one of them, only because Gabriel was surprisingly placed on injured reserve instead. So, what gives?
Dillon Gabriel’s Injury Is Legit, Says His Wife
At some point between Thursday’s preseason finale and Sunday’s roster decision, Gabriel appeared to have picked up a back injury so serious that he had to go on injured reserve. Gabriel completed 12-of-15 passes for 186 yards and three touchdowns in that game. He also rushed four times for three yards to cap off the preseason.
Still, some aren’t buying the story that Gabriel suddenly suffered an injury just as the Browns needed to trim down their roster.
Yet, his wife, Zo, took to Instagram to set the story straight, admitting that Gabriel is indeed dealing with a back injury.
“To the people who have reached out concerned about Dillon, we appreciate you!” Zo said. “Yes, Dillon hurt his back. Yes, he is on IR. Yes, he will be fine. And yes, he is on the Browns.”
Well, that should clear up any and all questions.
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But wait, how did Gabriel hurt his back? Was it after the game? Was it during practice? Did it happen away from the team?
There are still a lot of questions that don’t have answers here. For now, all we know is that the Browns have designated Gabriel to return, meaning he’ll be able to play at some point this season.
Being placed on IR now means he’ll automatically miss at least the first four games of the season.
Yet, maybe that’s ideal for a Browns team that feels like it’s giving Watson a chance to audition for the starting job. Perhaps after four weeks (or a few more), they’ll have all the information they need to make a QB change, possibly opening the door for Gabriel’s return to the active roster.
Or maybe it buys the Browns more time to find a trade partner for Gabriel or another QB on the team.
But for now, the 25-year-old will need to recover from a back injury while Watson, Sanders, and Green handle the business in Cleveland.
