Total Pro Sports
The regular season might be over, but the Cleveland Browns are still losing.
After going 5-12 during the season, the team fired head coach Kevin Stefanski. Now, they are losing another team member, and they will have to replace them. Former Browns quarterback Bailey Zappe was signed by the New York Jets to a reserve/future contract on Monday.
Veteran QB Bailey Zappe is signing a futures deal with the Jets, per source. pic.twitter.com/xVrX6oIrko
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 12, 2026
Zappe just completed his fourth NFL season out of Western Kentucky. He spent the majority of the 2025 campaign on Cleveland’s practice squad. Originally selected by New England in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Zappe has appeared in 15 career games with nine starts.
In 2023, the Patriots released him after he won two starts and had five touchdowns against only three interceptions. He started one game in the season finale for Cleveland during the 2024 season.
Just before the 2025 season, Zappe had three disappointing preseason outings with the Kansas City Chiefs. They would cut him from the squad, which is what led him to the Cleveland Browns. In 15 career NFL games, Zappe has amassed 2,223 passing yards with 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
There is much to be changed with the Cleveland Browns to make them competitive. The Cleveland Browns’ last winning season was 2023, when they finished with an 11-6 record. That team made the playoffs, but got blown out by the Houston Texans.
Winning consistently has been an issue for years. Since 2000, the franchise has had four winning seasons. That is a significant problem for a fan base that continues to regularly attend games.
The stakes for the first part of the offseason have been set. They are either going to roll with Shedeur Sanders as their future or find another quarterback in the draft. The Browns will be picking sixth overall with their pick and 24th with Jacksonville’s first-round pick.
Perhaps a significant trade is on the horizon that can set this team up for future success.
