Bailey

Zappe

With Joe Flacco shipped to the Bengals this week, the Browns were widely expected to bump Sanders to to the backup spot behind Dillon Gabriel, who got his first NFL start in Week 5 against the Vikings. Bailey Zappe could be called up from the practice squad to function as the Browns’ QB2 if Sanders doesn’t get the role. NFL Network reported Sunday that Sanders is expected to get snaps at some point in 2025, as the Browns enter evaluation mode in another lost season. For now, Stefanski seems reticent to name Sanders as Gabriel’s backup, perhaps due to the media attention it will surely create.

Strange picked a great landing spot after getting released yesterday, as the Browns have almost zero starting linemen with guaranteed contracts for 2026. Corley will look to develop his skills and could perhaps challenge for an end-of-roster spot later in the season. The Browns also added QB Bailey Zappe, TE Brendan Bates, TE Sal Cannella, WR Kaden Davis, S Christopher Edmonds, DT Ralph Holley, CB LaMareon James, DT Sam Kamara, RB Ahmani Marshall, DE Julian Okwara and RB Trayveon Williams to their practice squad.

Zappe was unable to unseat Gardner Minshew for the Chiefs’ No. 2 quarterback gig, so he’ll seek a roster spot elsewhere. Zappe will likely find a home on a practice squad somewhere. He spent time on the Chiefs’ last year, before the Browns signed him to a rest-of-season deal in October.

Zappe spent a short time on the Chiefs’ practice squad before being signed to the Browns’ active roster in October. The former fourth-rounder threw for 170-1-2 on just 31 pass attempts last season, and has thrown for a career line of 2,223-12-14 over the last three seasons. He’ll now have a chance to compete with Gardner Minshew for the Chiefs’ QB2 job, but will likely have to settle for a spot on the practice squad when all is said and done.

Zappe started one game for the Browns last season and has 15 total starts across three career seasons. He now hits unrestricted free agency and will be in the backup quarterback mix for teams looking to add at the position. The Browns also did not tender an offer to DB D’Anthony Bell, DT Michael Dwumfour, DE James Houston, and RB John Kelly.

Zappe’s night started off about as bad as it could get when he threw a pick-six on the team’s second possession, book ending his game with another interception on the team’s final possession in the red zone. He got the spot start for a Browns team clearly looking towards the future. Another top pick could be spent on a quarterback in the coming NFL Draft as they appear ready to cut bait with Deshaun Watson this offseason, particularly considering their future at the position does not appear to be on the current roster. Zappe will likely head back to free agency in the coming months.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson played through a calf injury as the Browns’ starter last week, completing just 24-of-47 passes for 170 yards and one touchdown. The team is evidently ready to see what Zappe has in store. The third-year player has flashed talent at times, playing for the Patriots in his first two seasons. He is not a recommended QB1 starter in Week 18.

Jameis Winston (shoulder) is apparently only in line for emergency work. You already were probably barely interested in starting Thompson-Robinson in superflex leagues, but the idea that he could lose some playing time to Zappe makes him almost impossible to start. Zappe has not seen time this year, but had a 1272/6/9 line for the Patriots in 2023 while spelling Mac Jones. It’s highly unlikely he’d give the Browns a spark, but it’d be hard to believe he’d be worse than Thompson-Robinson has been thus far.

Implied in that is that Jameis Winston (shoulder) wouldn’t be a sure bet to start if DTR isn’t able to go. Folks, we have a non-zero chance of Bailey Zappe time against the Dolphins in Week 17. We just thought you should know, might want to prioritize the Dolphins D/ST. (As if you weren’t doing that anyway after Thompson-Robinson’s first start.)

Winston is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury. Bailey Zappe will serve as the backup to Dorian Thompson-Robinson. The Browns will list Winston as inactive, meaning he can only enter the game if both Zappe and DTR get hurt. For fantasy managers praying for a Winston takeover in the second half, garbage time will not be your salvation this week. The quarterback situation takes Jerry Jeudy from a borderline WR1 ranking to a measly WR3 projection for his date with Cincinnati.