The Cleveland Browns have replaced quarterback Deshaun Watson by signing quarterback Bailey Zappe.
Watson ruptured his Achilles in Sunday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. This ended his 2024 season and likely the Watson era in Cleveland at the same time. Second-year player Dorian Thompson-Robinson also left the game with a finger injury, and his status for this week is still up in the air.
This leaves Jameis Winston, who played the best of the bunch in the game, to step in and start for the Browns. Zappe may just be his backup after being signed off the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad.
Zappe was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the quarterback class that will go down as one of the NFL’s worst ever. He has, however, started six games in his career, including beating the Jacoby Brissett-led Browns in 2022. Cut by the Patriots this season after they drafted two quarterbacks, Zappe then landed in Kansas City.
Welcome to Cleveland, Bailey!