Tag: Bailey Zappe

Oklahoma’s Ben Arbuckle has impressive quarterback track record

Oklahoma’s new offensive coordinator is something of a QB whisperer.

The search for the next Oklahoma Sooners offensive coordinator is over. Coach [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] hired Ben Arbuckle away from the Washington State Cougars to call plays and coach quarterbacks in Norman.

Though Arbuckle is just 29 years old, he has already called plays for three seasons. He cut his teeth under new Florida Atlantic coach and previous Texas Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley. He may be young, but he has earned a reputation as a quarterback whisperer in a very short time.

After Sooners fans suffered through a 2024 season of watching a broken offense and quarterbacks who weren’t handled or coached correctly, Arbuckle is a sight for sore eyes. Whether it’s [autotag]Michael Hawkins Jr.[/autotag] or a [autotag]transfer portal[/autotag] quarterback who starts for the Sooners next year, they’ll have Arbuckle as his primary teacher.

But who has Arbuckle coached prior to landing in Norman? Here is each QB he’s tutored at the college level.

Bailey Zappe

Houston Baptist (FCS), 2018-2019; Western Kentucky, 2021

Arbuckle’s coaching career started as a quality control coach at FCS Houston Baptist in 2018 and 2019. It was there that he worked with Bailey Zappe, and was instrumental in the young QB’s development.

Zappe threw 58 touchdowns to just 28 interceptions over those two seasons. After a year in the high school ranks in Texas, Arbuckle found his way back to Zappe in 2021 at Western Kentucky. Arbuckle was an offensive quality control coach, and Zappe was once again the starter under center. They worked closely together again.

Zappe broke Football Bowl Subdivision records that season, throwing 62 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions and almost 6,000 yards. He was drafted by the New England Patriots after the year, starting a few games for them over a couple of seasons.

That performance earned the OC, Kittley, the same job at Texas Tech. Arbuckle was chosen to succeed Kittley in 2022.

Austin Reed

Western Kentucky, 2022

In his first stint calling plays. Arbuckle worked with WKU’s Austin Reed. A 40-to-11 touchdown-to-interception ratio in 2022 speaks for itself, but Reed also threw for 4,744 yards for one of the best offenses in college football. His yardage total led the nation.

Arbuckle left Tyson Helton’s staff to take the same job under Jake Dickert at Washington State. Reed stayed with the Hilltoppers, but saw his stats dip in 2023 without Arbuckle. He signed with the Chicago Bears as an undrafted free agent and is in the midst of his rookie season.

Cam Ward

Washington State, 2023

In his first of two seasons in Pullman, Arbuckle mentored Cam Ward, a former Incarnate Word transfer. Ward threw for over 3,700 yards, 25 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, all improvements over his previous season with the Cougars.

Ward’s 2023 campaign made him a high-profile player and the new quarterback of the Miami Hurricanes after he transferred to South Florida for 2024. He’s been arguably the best quarterback in the country, leading Miami to a 10-2 regular season. He’ll likely be a Heisman Trophy finalist and a high pick in April’s NFL Draft.

After Ward transferred, Arbuckle needed another QB for the 2024 season.

John Mateer

Washington State, 2024

Arbuckle found his guy in unheralded three-star prospect John Mateer. Mateer has been a revelation for the Cougars this year. He has thrown for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He added 15 scores on the ground to lead the Football Bowl Subdivision with 44 total touchdowns.

The interesting part of this equation is Mateer is a candidate to enter the portal this offseason. OU and Arbuckle are a distinct possibility for a landing spot if he does. Other schools will certainly vie for his services as well, making Arbuckle’s next QB protégée still up in the air for 2025.

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Browns bring back QB after cutting him on Monday

The Browns have re-signed QB Bailey Zappe

The Cleveland Browns have re-signed quarterback Bailey Zappe after cutting him on Monday night.

The release of Zappe, who has been their emergency third quarterback since the injury to Deshaun Watson, cleared room for the Browns to sign defensive tackle Jowon Briggs to the active roster. The Browns now bring Zappe back but have not announced any subsequent roster move as of yet.

A former fourth round pick of the New England Patriots, Zappe has bounced around a bit since being waived this summer. He was then signed to the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs before the Browns signed him to their active roster off of their practice squad after the injury to Watson.

He now winds up back in Cleveland for the time being.

Expect Zappe to continue to be listed as a gameday inactive, but have his pads ready to go as the emergency third quarterback.

Chiefs make 4 roster moves ahead of Week 8 matchup vs. Raiders

The Kansas City Chiefs made four roster moves on Tuesday ahead of their Week 8 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Kansas City Chiefs made a series of roster moves ahead of their Week 8 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on October 27.

First, the defending Super Bowl champions announced that they had signed cornerback Keith Taylor to their active roster. Taylor was previously on Kansas City’s practice squad and adds depth to the Chiefs’ secondary after cornerback Jaylen Watson’s injury in Week 7.

Next, the team announced that it had signed quarterback Chris Oladokun and wide receiver Cornell Powell to its practice squad.

Finally, Kansas City indicated that Watson had been placed on the Chiefs’ injured reserve list.

 

These transactions came after third-year quarterback Bailey Zappe was signed off of Kansas City’s practice squad by the Cleveland Browns, who needed another signal-caller due to an injury sustained by Deshaun Watson on Sunday.

Stay tuned to see if these moves mark the end of the Chiefs’ adjustments this week, or if they prove to be part of a broader reshuffle of Kansas City’s roster by general manager Brett Veach ahead of the NFL’s trade deadline.

Browns sign Bailey Zappe after placing Deshaun Watson on IR

The Browns have picked up Bailey Zappe as QB insurance

The Achilles injury that ended Deshaun Watson’s season has led to the Cleveland Browns making moves on Tuesday.

The Browns placed Watson on IR. His season was over after he tore an Achilles on Sunday in the loss to the Cleveland Browns.

Cleveland then signed Bailey Zappe off the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad. That would be the Zappe who spent time in New England.

Jameis Winston seems like the logical candidate to start for Cleveland against Baltimore in Week Eight. Zappe and Dorian Thompson-Robinson are also in the mix.

Zappe made eight starts in New England, completing 63.2% of his passes for 2,053 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

Report: Former Patriots QB Bailey Zappe signs with new AFC team

Bailey Zappe has found a new AFC home

The Cleveland Browns are reportedly signing former New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe off the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

It’s a move that follows Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s season-ending Achilles injury and Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s finger injury.

There’s a chance that Jameis Winston could start for the Browns against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, and that could mean Zappe will be the top backup for that game.

The Patriots selected Zappe in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft. He started in eight games for the organization and racked up 2,053 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

After two seasons with the team, he was caught up in the 53-man roster cuts before the start of the season and ultimately decided to sign with the Chiefs’ practice squad.

Now, Zappe will have an opportunity to fly closer to the sun again as a top backup in the NFL. He has proven to be a solid option to go to in a pinch, even if things haven’t necessarily worked out for him as a starter.

It’s a good move for a Browns team desperate for help at the quarterback position.

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Browns add a new QB after the season-ending injury to Deshaun Watson

The Browns have a new quarterback in town

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!

Report: Chiefs reunite with veteran QB after Browns sign Bailey Zappe

The #Chiefs reunited with veteran QB Chris Oladokun on Monday after the #Browns signed Bailey Zappe from Kansas City’s practice squad.

According to a report from Matt Derrick of ChiefsDigest.com, the Kansas City Chiefs are reuniting with veteran quarterback Chris Oladokun after the Cleveland Browns signed third-year signal-caller Bailey Zappe off the defending Super Bowl champions’ practice squad on Tuesday morning.

Oladokun played for Kansas City in the preseason but was waived by the Chiefs on August 27.

He was a seventh-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft and played for the South Dakota State Jackrabbits as a collegian.

Though he isn’t likely to push Carson Wentz for the second-string spot on Kansas City’s depth chart behind Patrick Mahomes, Oladokun will serve a valuable role for the Chiefs on the scout team during practice.

 

Kansas City could potentially utilize Oladokun as an emergency quarterback in a last-case scenario during the regular season, but fans shouldn’t expect to see him in action any time soon.

Stay tuned to see Oladokun on the Chiefs’ sideline when Kansas City faces the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 8.

Browns sign NCAA record-setter off Chiefs’ practice squad after Deshaun Watson injury

According to a report, the #Browns signed QB Bailey Zappe off the #Chiefs’ practice squad after Deshaun Watson’s injury in Week 7.

According to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Cleveland Browns have signed NCAA record-holder Bailey Zappe off of the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad after quarterback Deshaun Watson suffered a serious injury in Week 7.

Zappe, who played for Houston Baptist and Western Kentucky as a collegian, set the NCAA record for most passing yards and touchdowns in a season, with 5,967 and 62 respectively in his 2021 campaign as a Hilltopper.

Though he was never elevated to Kansas City’s 53-man roster during the regular season, Zappe was part of the Chiefs’ outstanding quarterback room, which includes Super Bowl champions Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz.

 

Kansas City may look to add another young signal-caller to its practice squad after Zappe’s departure, but it remains unclear who they might target to fill the void he will leave.

Stay tuned to see if the Chiefs make a move ahead of their Week 8 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders on October 27.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid reveals plan for newly signed practice squad quarterback vs. Ravens

Kansas City #Chiefs HC Andy Reid reveals plan for practice squad quarterback Bailey Zappe vs. Ravens | @EdEastonJr

For the second consecutive season, the Kansas City Chiefs will open the season at home, celebrating their Super Bowl title while beginning their defense on a national stage. The Baltimore Ravens, led by league MVP Lamar Jackson, are looking to play foil on another memorable night at Arrowhead Stadium.

After Sunday’s practice, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told the media that newly signed practice squad quarterback Bailey Zappe will simulate Jackson in practice to help the defense prepare.

“Yeah, Bailey (Zappe) can do that. We’ve always mixed guys in there when we have a chance of playing (and) there are some other guys that can jump in,” said Reid. “We have a little plan for it. Not that any of them are as good as him (laughter) – Chris (Oladokun) included. I mean, Chris did a nice job, but this kid (Lamar Jackson), he’s a special player. It’s very hard to mimic him.”

Reid clarified that he’s looking for a scout team quarterback to portray Jackson similarly to how well Chris Oladokun did before the AFC Championship game. He did offer some thoughts on adding Zappe to the practice squad and his potential.

“Good player – on the practice squad, you’re saying? We liked him (Bailey Zappe) in college (and) we liked what he showed us in the last game there; he did a nice job of that,” said Reid. “We think down the road he’ll help us there.”

Zappe was a fourth-round pick by the New England Patriots in 2022. He spent two seasons with the franchise and has tallied 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in eight career starts.

Chiefs sign former Patriots QB Bailey Zappe to practice squad

The Kansas City Chiefs signed former New England Patriots QB Bailey Zappe to their practice squad.

According to a report, the Kansas City Chiefs signed former New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe to their practice squad on Wednesday.

Zappe was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Western Kentucky, where he was named Conference USA MVP in 2021. After a disappointing season under center with the Patriots in 2023, Zappe was released on Tuesday after he failed to win a spot behind first-round pick Drake Maye ahead of the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline.

With this move, the Chiefs are adding more depth after waiving quarterback Chris Oladokun on Tuesday following his less-than-stellar preseason performances.

Zappe’s addition to the practice squad gives the Chiefs much-needed insurance behind MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Super Bowl champion Carson Wentz.

Though the former Patriot is not expected to be added to the active roster, look for Zappe to be a valuable addition to the team as he brings his experience to the practice field.