A former starting QB will have to continue his NFL journey elsewhere.
The Cleveland Browns announced on Monday that they are waiving quarterback Bailey Zappe. The move is to make room on their active roster for defensive tackle Jowon Briggs to be signed from the practice squad.
Zappe, still only 25, was a fourth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2022 (No. 137 overall) and worked his way up the ladder to briefly supplant Mac Jones as the starter for parts of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. A former C-USA Most Valuable Player, Zappe quickly became a fan favorite in New England, going a respectable 4-4 overall as the team’s first-string QB.
But the Patriots decided to move in a different direction this season, drafting Drake Maye with the No. 3 pick this year and also reuniting with veteran QB Jacoby Brissett. As a result, Zappe was waived in August and then briefly spent time on the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs before signing with Cleveland. But even with Deshaun Watson injured, Zappe was buried on the QB depth chart behind Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Thus, the Browns will be moving in a different direction too.
