The Cleveland Browns have added a fourth quarterback but it won’t change Shedeur Sanders‘ situation.
The Browns signed Bailey Zappe to the practice squad this week, giving the team another arm to work with. It generated some questions about Sanders’ standing as the No. 3 quarterback, behind Joe Flacco and fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel.
However, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski left no doubt that Sanders will be the third, emergency quarterback for Cleveland on game days.
“Shedeur,” Stefanski said when asked who would be serving as the emergency quarterback.
What Cleveland does get in Zappe is a quarterback they are familiar with, who could fill in if injuries occur.
” I got to spend a lot of time with Bailey (Zappe) last season. Really talented kid, fits him well, works very hard. So glad he’s back,” Stefanski said. “I think you’ve got to make sure that room is strong in numbers. So, we like Bailey, what he brings, and being around him, know what he’s about. But that’s all it is.”
Browns Comfortable With Dillon Gabriel as Backup
The Browns will roll with the 40-year-old Flacco as their Week 1 starter. Gabriel will be the primary backup after the team traded away Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders.
“We feel comfortable with Dillon serving that role,” Stefanski said. “Kenny’s a guy I think very highly of and so do I wish him well. He’s a really good football player, but those are the type of decisions that you have to make.”
The Browns held a four-man competition for the starting quarterback job, although Flacco appeared to be the favorite for most of the preseason. There was a lot of noise around how Sanders and Gabriel would land on the final depth chart, but the Browns are confident that they made the right decision.
“It’s such an all-encompassing evaluation. Everything the guys did in the games was important. We also saw a lot of them out here in practice and how they are at their craft,” Stefanski said of Gabriel. “He’s certainly somebody that we think is getting better and better.”
Browns Still Have Deshaun Watson Lurking
The Browns also have Deshaun Watson — their $230 million quarterback — in the mix. He has been working his way back since suffering the initial injury in October. He re-injured the Achilles in January, and the Browns announced he would miss “significant time” during the coming season.
To open the year, Watson has been placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. While this does not rule him out for the season, it does guarantee he’ll miss at least the first four games.
While Watson has not been healthy enough to practice, he’s been working out on his own and contributing in the meeting room.
“Deshaun’s doing awesome, he’s doing great,” Stefanski said Tuesday. “I’m excited for him. I get to watch him work out as well. I get to be in the meeting room with him every single day. So, he’s doing great.”
The Browns open the season on Sept. 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.
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