The Cleveland Browns activated quarterback Dillon Gabriel from injured reserve on October 26 and waived tight end Carsen Ryan to make room, the team announced Monday.
NBC Sports' Josh Alper reported that Gabriel joins Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders and Taylen Green, giving Cleveland four quarterbacks.
Gabriel had been on injured reserve with a back injury since August 30 and returned to practice October 6, according to the Browns' announcement. Dawgs By Nature's Jared Mueller placed the activation 20 days after that practice return.
Before the transaction, coach Todd Monken described the decision as involving both health and roster management with Andrew Berry. His October 26 press conference also connected roster decisions to practice needs, elevations and the players needed for each week's game.
Asked whether carrying four quarterbacks on the active roster was feasible, Monken said, "Sure, it's possible." The team's transcript records that answer before the move. Read alongside the transaction, it shows a coach willing to accommodate a crowded room.
The Pittsburgh assignment puts a practical edge on those choices. In Monday's remarks, Monken emphasized Wednesday preparation, matching Pittsburgh's physicality and avoiding undisciplined mistakes. That makes readiness across the roster a more useful focus than simply counting quarterbacks.
For Pittsburgh, the useful distinction is between having another quarterback available and needing him to contribute. An extra option could help if circumstances change during the week or the game. Its value would be less visible if Cleveland gets through the matchup without needing that depth.
Ryan's role helps explain the other side of the decision. Mueller reported October 26 that the 2026 seventh-round pick had played six games, logging 73 special-teams snaps and two offensive snaps.
That split matters when judging the cost. The offensive snap count suggests a limited role there, but the special-teams work deserves weight. Evaluating the waiver solely through Ryan's offensive contributions would miss where he had been doing most of his work. The practical test is whether Cleveland can cover those responsibilities cleanly. A reserve's value can come from helping several units function, so the evaluation should include the replacement workload as well as the quarterback benefit.
My read: the central question in these Browns roster decisions is whether another quarterback's potential value outweighs the weekly contribution available from another position. Keeping another quarterback can make sense as insurance, particularly if that player can continue developing. That benefit has to justify the space.
The team also listed Gabriel's experience: the 2025 third-round pick has appeared in 10 games, starting six, with 937 passing yards and seven touchdowns. Cleveland is retaining a young quarterback with regular-season work to build on, giving his development a concrete starting point.
Those starts give Cleveland actual game work to evaluate. For the season, the useful development question is whether Gabriel becomes more dependable when his opportunity comes. Passing totals alone are a narrow measure of that progress; command of the offense and decision-making would offer a fuller picture. A larger role should follow demonstrated progress rather than the roster count itself.
The next useful checkpoints are Gabriel's practice work and Cleveland's game-day selections. There is a balance to strike: enough practice attention for Gabriel to progress, while keeping preparation sharp for the players most likely to be needed against the Steelers.
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