Bailey Zappe will be the Browns’ No. 4 and No. 40 quarterback. He was selected by coach Kevin Stefanski to start in Saturday’s season finale at Baltimore, making him the fourth quarterback to start this season and the 40th since Cleveland’s return to the NFL. an expansion team in 1999.Zappe was cut from Kansas City’s practice squad in October after Deshaun Watson ruptured his Achilles tendon. The 25-year-old will be making his ninth career start — he is 4-4 — after appearing in eight games for New England. Earlier this week, Stefanski said he would likely face Zappe and Dorian Thompson-Robinson against the Ravens (11-5), who will win the AFC North title if they take care of the Browns (3-13). . Stefanski informed both QBs of his decision for the starting job after Thursday’s practice. During the season, Stefanski was forced to start five quarterbacks due to injuries, and the Browns still made the playoffs. This season, he’s already faced Watson, Thompson-Robinson and Jameis Winston, who is dealing with a sore right shoulder and is questionable this week. Zappe’s departure will continue a strange tradition of new QBs starting the season finale for Cleveland. In the past, Connor Shaw, Thaddeus Lewis, Bruce Gradkowski and Jeff Driskel were part of a group of QBs who made their only starts for the Browns over the past week. On Wednesday, Zappe said he was looking forward to his first playing time since arriving. in Cleveland. “Obviously it’s a great opportunity,” he said. “Personally, I look at it like I have a one-year contract here. I have no idea what the future holds for me, and this is a great opportunity for me to go play football and make people watch film. I hope it’s a good movie, but I’m excited about the opportunity. » Zappe joked that playing for Patriots coach Bill Belichick prepared him perfectly for the uncertainty of this week. England for two years and Bill kept everything a secret,” Zappe said with a smile. “So sometimes I wouldn’t find out until Thursday night, Friday, like, ‘Hey, just so you know, you’re playing on Sunday. So I’m used to it. “I prepare like I usually prepare, whether I’m the three or the one, and that’s what he taught me every time I was out there. So I’m going to continue doing that. » Thompson-Robinson will also have another chance to erase some ugly moments from the last two weeks. The fifth-round pick completed just 54.3 percent of his passes while leading the Browns to just nine points in two losses. He threw three interceptions, fumbled twice and was flagged four times for intentional grounding. He spent the week working on correcting his mistakes and not worrying about how much he will play. Thompson-Robinson had hoped to use the final three games as an audition to show the Browns he could be in the running to be their starter in 2025. “You don’t have time to sit around and sob when it’s the last game of the year. “Thompson-Robinson said Wednesday. “So I just came in today, I came in Monday, I still stick to extra meetings, extra films, extra on-air routes, I still stick to the same process that got me to this point and this offense, and I’m not trying to shy away from it because of certain results” NOTES: Browns will be without Pro Bowl CB Denzel Ward (shoulder), TE David Njoku. (knee), RB Jerome Ford (ankle) and LB Jordan Hicks (concussion) for the season. final. … The team took another step in its plans to build a domed stadium by fulfilling the clause to purchase 176 acres of land in Brook Park, Ohio. The Browns announced plans in October to vacate their lakefront stadium when leases expire after the 2028 season. Earlier this week, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb sent a letter to owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam saying the city was considering using “model law” to prevent the team from leaving. Under the law, the city or residents would have the option of purchasing the team rather than allowing it to relocate.
Bailey Zappe will be the Browns’ No. 4 and No. 40 quarterback.
He was selected by coach Kevin Stefanski to start in Saturday’s season finale at Baltimore, making him the fourth quarterback to start this season and the 40th since Cleveland’s return to the NFL as a team. expansion in 1999.
Zappe was left off Kansas City’s practice squad in October after Deshaun Watson ruptured his Achilles tendon. The 25-year-old will be making his ninth career start – he is 4-4 – after appearing in eight games for New England.
Earlier this week, Stefanski said he would likely face Zappe and Dorian Thompson-Robinson against the Ravens (11-5), who will win the AFC North title if they take care of the Browns (3-13) .
Stefanski informed both QBs of his decision to start after Thursday’s practice.
Last season, Stefanski was forced to start five quarterbacks due to injuries, and the Browns still made the playoffs. This season, he’s already faced Watson, Thompson-Robinson and Jameis Winston, who is dealing with a sore right shoulder and is questionable this week.
Zappe’s departure will continue a strange tradition of new QBs starting the season finale for Cleveland. In the past, Connor Shaw, Thaddeus Lewis, Bruce Gradkowski and Jeff Driskel were part of a group of QBs who made their only starts for the Browns over the past week.
On Wednesday, Zappe said he was looking forward to his first playing time since arriving in Cleveland.
“It’s obviously a big opportunity,” he said. “Personally, I look at it like I have a one-year contract here. I have no idea what the future holds for me, and this is a great opportunity for me to go play football and make people watch film. I hope it’s a good movie, but I’m excited for the opportunity.
Zappe joked that playing for Patriots coach Bill Belichick prepared him perfectly for the uncertainty of this week.
“I don’t know if he’s going to get mad, but I spent two years in New England and Bill kept everything a secret,” Zappe said with a smile. “So sometimes I wouldn’t find out until Thursday night, Friday, like, ‘Hey, just so you know, you’re playing on Sunday. » So I’m used to it.
“I just prepare like I usually prepare, whether I’m the three or the one, and that’s what he taught me every time I was out there. So I’m going to continue doing that.
Thompson-Robinson will also get another chance to erase some ugly moments from the last two weeks.
The fifth-round pick completed just 54.3 percent of his passes while leading the Browns to just nine points in two losses. He threw three interceptions, fumbled twice and was flagged four times for intentional grounding.
He spent the week fixing his mistakes and not worrying about his level of play. Thompson-Robinson had hoped to use the last three games as an audition to show the Browns he could be in the running to be their starter in 2025.
“You don’t have time to sit around and sob when it’s the last game of the year,” Thompson-Robinson said Wednesday. “So I came in today, I came in Monday, I still stick to extra meetings, extra films, extra on-air routes, I still stick to the same process that has led to this point and this offense, and I’m not trying to shy away from it because of certain results.
NOTES: The Browns will be without Pro Bowl CB Denzel Ward (shoulder), TE David Njoku (knee), RB Jerome Ford (ankle) and LB Jordan Hicks (concussion) for the season finale. … The team took another step in its plans to build a domed stadium by fulfilling the clause to purchase 176 acres of land in Brook Park, Ohio. The Browns announced plans in October to vacate their lakefront stadium when leases expire after the 2028 season. Earlier this week, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb sent a letter to owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam saying the city planned to use “model law” to prevent the team from leaving. Under the law, the city or residents would have the option of purchasing the team rather than allowing it to relocate.
