Browns Activate Dillon Gabriel, Officially Hoarding Quarterbacks Like Canned Goods

The Cleveland Browns just activated Dillon Gabriel off injured reserve, which means they are officially hoarding quarterbacks like a doomsday prepper hoarding canned beans.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported the roster move on Monday evening. Gabriel is finally cleared for action after missing the first two months of the season with a back injury he picked up during the preseason finale.

"NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported the move, tweeting: 'The #Browns activated QB Dillon Gabriel off IR.'"

His return creates a bizarre logjam in Cleveland. Activating Gabriel means the Browns are currently staring at a roster with four quarterbacks, a strategy that usually implies extreme paranoia or a complete lack of faith in the offensive line keeping anyone upright.

The Browns are somehow 5-2 and tied for first in the AFC North after squeaking out a 27-24 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. But that shiny record is doing a lot of heavy lifting for an offense that is objectively hard to watch.

Cleveland is averaging a miserable 19 points per game, good for 28th in the league. Deshaun Watson has managed 1,482 passing yards, but the team is still bottom-ten in overall passing production, grinding out games with defense and sheer stubbornness.

Bettors looking at the AFC North futures market should probably factor in this offensive identity crisis. A 5-2 team with a suffocating defense and a surplus of backup quarterbacks is a terrifying profile to trust when laying points on the road.

Gabriel will likely spend the week getting back into the rhythm of practice. We will find out exactly where he fits into this crowded depth chart when the Browns travel to play the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday for a massive divisional showdown.