Dawgs By Nature
The Cleveland Browns made a surprising move late Wednesday afternoon with the reported signing of quarterback Bailey Zappe to the practice squad.
The addition of Zappe brings the current number of quarterbacks in the locker room to five as he joins starter Joe Flacco, rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, and the injured Deshaun Watson.
Zappe spent time with the Browns in 2024 after they signed him from the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs following the season-ending injury to Watson.
A former fourth-round selection by the New England Patriots in the 2022 NFL Draft, Zappe started eight games in two seasons for the Patriots. His biggest day came as a rookie when he went 24-of-34 for 309 yards and two touchdowns to help lead the Patriots past the Browns.
Not wishing to push their luck, the Patriots benched Zappe for the rest of that season.
With the Browns, Zappe made his only start in the season finale against the Baltimore Ravens. He finished 16-of-31 for 170 yards and a touchdown pass, while also tossing a pair of interceptions, one of which turned into a career highlight for Baltimore’s 355-pound Michael Pierce.
It will be interesting to see what the long-term plan is for Zappe, who could eventually find his way to the gameday roster to claim the veteran backup role as an insurance policy in case something happens to Flacco.
