Breaking Down the Cleveland Browns’ Four Quarterback Dilemma

There is an old phrase in football that says, “if you have two quarterbacks, you have none."

But what if a team has four quarterbacks?

The Cleveland Browns find themselves in a predicament after Thursday night’s 37-13 win over the New England Patriots. The preseason finale complicated the quarterback room as the third and fourth string quarterbacks played well enough to earn a roster spot. 

Dillon Gabriel

The second-year quarterback Dillon Gabriel showed for the first time last night why he was drafted in the top 100 picks of the 2025 draft. He threw for 186 yards and three touchdowns in the first half and scored a total of 27 points.

The Browns had 14 points in their first two season preseason games combined. He could have been cut or traded when the roster is paired down to the final 53, but last night’s performance may change some minds. Gabriel is lauded for his understanding of an offense and can be beneficial to help the team adjust to Todd Monken’s new scheme. 

Taylen Green

Sixth-round pick Taylen Green played the second half. He did not do much through the air by only throwing for 27 yards, but he rushed eight times for 66 yards. The raw athleticism that was his calling card was on full display. He was inches away from stepping out of the end zone for a safety, but somehow turned that play into a thirty-yard gain. He floats around the field and can be a big problem for a defense. His passing remains to be desired, but he can contribute to the team right away in gadget plays or red zone sets. 

On top of those two players are starting quarterback Deshaun Watson and backup Shedeur Sanders. The Browns will not cut Watson due to his contract and Sanders was competing with Watson for the starting position all the way through training camp. A NFL team usually keeps two quarterbacks on the game-day roster and stashes a third-string quarterback on the practice squad. The Browns do not only have a quarterback problem, they have four of them. 

Deshaun Watson

Watson is not moving.

The Browns named him the starter and he will have to play for his pay. He has not shown that he can be a starting level quarterback in the NFL since 2020. The Browns can ride out this year with him on the roster and finally move on next season. 

Shedeur Sanders

Sanders will probably get a handful of starts this season.

Watson’s performance has not led many to believe that he will start all season and he has not had a healthy season in six years. Sanders has spent some time in training camp with the first string offense and if the Browns cut him before the season, then they would have to rely on Gabriel or Green, which may be too soon for them. Sanders will give some big-play highlights but also some head scratchers. 

Who has to go?

Although Gabriel played very well last night, he could be the most likely to go.

He played against backups and players that may not be in the NFL come next week. Not to take away from his performance, because it was good, but it was not like he was playing against the ‘85 Bears or even the ‘25 Bengals. Gabriel is projected to be a career backup that can come in and manage games. The Browns are not a “game manager” away from playoff contention. Atlanta has had quarterback health and performance issues.

Maybe old friend Kevin Stefanski could use Gabriel to steady their ship? The problem is that the Browns used a top 100 pick on him and trading him for anything less would not be a good recoupment of value, and if they cut him, then they get nothing. 

The Browns could cut Green and hope that he clears through waivers so they can claim him to their practice squad. The problem is that Green’s raw ability may be too appetizing for other teams. There were rumors that Green was slotted to be drafted by multiple AFC North teams if the Browns did not grab him with the 182nd pick. He can be picked up by a team with a more stable quarterback situation and that team can utilize his skills while grooming him for the future. He has too much potential to only have him in one training camp as a rookie. 

So the Browns have four quarterbacks that will need to get trimmed down to three. Each one presents their own obstacle for Andrew Berry to move or keep on the roster. If the Browns somehow keep all four then what position group loses a roster spot? Are the quarterbacks actually that good to take away from another position group?

Four quarterbacks, none of them seem to be the answer, but all are too valuable to release. That is the Browns' latest question.