NFL Rumors: Former Patriots QB Receives Noteworthy Promotion

Bailey Zappe hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since last January, but he’s one play away from seeing the field Sunday.

The Browns will have an entirely new quarterback depth chart for their Week 15 matchup with the Bengals. Cleveland will start second-year pro Dorian Thompson-Robinson in Cincinnati, where Zappe will be the visitors’ backup signal-caller, per Cleveland.com. The former Patriots QB made the jump over veteran Jameis Winston, who is dealing with a shoulder injury.

It’s been an eventful series of months for Zappe, who started behind center for New England’s final six games of the 2023 season. The Patriots waived the 25-year-old in late August and watched him join the Chiefs’ practice squad less than two weeks later. Zappe’s time in Kansas City was brief, though, as he was plucked by Cleveland in late October after Deshaun Watson went down with a season-ending Achilles injury.

Zappe was the Browns’ emergency third-string quarterback for a four-game stretch before he was waived again Dec. 2. But one day after going unclaimed, the 2022 fourth-round pick re-signed to Cleveland’s active roster.

Should Zappe play against the Bengals, both of the Patriots’ 2023 starters would see action on the same day. Mac Jones currently is serving as the Jacksonville Jaguars’ QB1 with Trevor Lawrence sidelined.