Coming out of Western Kentucky, a Football Bowl Subdivision team, The 2022 fourth-round draft pick of undersized â six-foot and one-half inch, 215 pound â quarterback Bailey Zappe by the New England Patriots came as quite a surprise.
Just one year earlier the Patriots had used the No. 15 overall pick to select the quarterback who they hoped would lead them into the post-Tom Brady era, Alabama’s national championship-winning Mac Jones.
Three years later, Zappe will apparently be going head-to-head with another high-profile quarterback, former Colorado signal caller Shedeur Sanders â but this time for the No. 3 chair in the Cleveland Browns quarterback room.
Zappe Thrown Into Starting Role in New England
It was true that Zappe set FBS records in 2021, with 5,967 yards in the air and 62 touchdowns. But he was not looked on as a prime or even mid-level prospect. NextGen Stats gave him a mediocre prospect grade of 5.67 and described Zappe as a “candidate for bottom of roster or practice squad.”
But in his rookie season, coach Bill Belichick threw Zappe into a starter’s role to fill in for Jones, who was nursing an ankle injury. In two starts, Zappe’s performance was as surprising as his draft selection had been a few months earlier, connecting for five touchdowns and 781 yards on 65 completions in 92 tries.
Suddenly, Patriots fans had a new darling, and with Jones’ second-year struggles, chants of Zappe’s name â pronounced ZAP-ee â rang throughout Gillette Stadium.
Zappe’s Confidence Created Controversy
His instant cult status also made Zappe a lightning rod for controversy, with an intense debate in Boston media over whether he should be named the starting QB on a permanent basis. Nor did he help his own cause with quotes that seemed to display a sense of confidence that may have outstripped his abilities on the field.
When the Patriots cut then re-signed him, assigning him to their practice squad, before the 2023 season, Zappe was quoted saying, “Trust me, I’ve got this. Eventually I’ll be the starter.”
The Patriots cut Zappe again during training camp in 2024. He spent that season with the Cleveland Browns, starting one game, throwing for a touchdown, but also two interceptions.
Second Stint in Cleveland
But as of Wednesday, Zappe â after being signed by the Kansas City Chiefs in March and cut in August â is back with the Browns, who signed him to their practice squad.
In fact, Zappe may have one significant advantage over Sanders, if the two are going to battle for a spot on the Browns’ active roster.
While Sanders has what one commentator described as “mind boggling” media hype, Zappe has something that Sanders does not, and â given that the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders sits behind both starter Joe Flacco and primary backup Dillon Gabriel on Cleveland’s depth chart â may not get for a long time.
Actual NFL game experience.
Plan For Zappe Could Push Out Sanders
“It will be interesting to see what the long-term plan is for Zappe, who could eventually find his way to the gameday roster to claim the veteran backup role as an insurance policy in case something happens to Flacco,” wrote SB Nation Browns correspondent Thomas Moore on Wednesday.
“Itâs unclear why the Browns feel they need a fourth quarterback on the roster and if it potentially threatens Sandersâ spot on the depth chart,” added Heavy.com scribe J.R. DeGroote. But Browns coach Kevin Stefanski dismissed the idea that signing Zappe creates a threat to Sanders.
“Iâm committed to his development, just like all of our rookies,â Stefanski said, as quoted by The Associated Press. âSo, weâll continue to focus on getting our guys better, and thatâs what weâll stay committed to, and thatâs whatâs important to me.â
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