Browns sign Bailey Zappe from Chiefs after Deshaun Watson’s season-ending injury
After starting Deshaun Watson sustained the season-ending injury, the Browns acquired Bailey Zappe in a trade deal with the Chiefs.
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Browns sign Bailey Zappe after Deshaun Watson's season-ending injury (Via Imago/Action Network)
Deshaun Watson ended up suffering the fate he was most afraid of. With an MRI report confirming the rupture in his right leg, the Cleveland Browns quarterback has officially been out of the season. And looks like the team has found a replacement in the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad.
This time, the Browns don’t even have a healthy backup as Dorian Thompson-Robinson– who previously replaced Watson, sustained a finger injury in the same game that injured Watson. Although his injury is said to be minor, the team has yet to see his grip on the football.
Considering the scarcity in the quarterback room, the Browns brought in the former New England Patriots quarterback, Bailey Zappe in a trade deal with the Chiefs, as per NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero. However, they are starting next week with Jameis Winston and keeping Zappe as the backup.
A new QB in Cleveland: The #Browns are signing Bailey Zappe off the #Chiefs practice squad, per sources.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 22, 2024
With Deshaun Watson’s season over and Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s status in flux, Jameis Winston could start Sunday vs. Baltimore and Zappe would back him up. pic.twitter.com/drBj6rtKEZ
The season was already challenging for the Browns, sitting at 1-6, but Watson’s season-ending injury has dealt a significant blow, severely diminishing their playoff hopes. The team is yet to enlist the two-time Pro Bowler on the injury reserve after he was carted off the field with teary eyes in the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Browns are currently standing with a bizarre 1-6 record after losing five games in a row, including the week 7 game. They are next up against the Baltimore Ravens for the week 8 game at Huntington Bank Field.
Bailey Zappe’s journey from fourth-round pick to Browns backup
Zappe is one of the few quarterbacks drafted by the legendary head coach Bill Belichick in the Patriots in 2022. He was a fourth-round pick and spent two seasons with them before joining the two-time Super Bowl Champions earlier this year in August.
During his time in New England, Zappe started eight out of his 14 appearances. He posted 2,053 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 receptions in those games. However, the Chiefs put him on the practice squad.
Even though Zappe doesn’t have an impressive record in the NFL, he had an amazing college career at Western Kentucky, where he entered the league. He was initially a promising quarterback for the Patriots, who were struggling with the departure of the legendary Tom Brady.
Acquiring Zappe may not be a solid move but at the very least, head coach Kevin Stefanski would have a quarterback with starting experience which could be a life-saver if Thompson-Robinson’s injury affects his game.
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Pratyusha Srivastava
(2078 Articles Published)