If Shedeur Sanders isn’t cutting it as the Browns’ third-string quarterback, Cleveland has a veteran it can turn to in place of the fifth-rounder.
Cleveland is signing veteran Bailey Zappe to its practice squad, according to NFL Network, who will open the season behind starter Joe Flacco, backup Dillon Gabriel and Sanders.
Adding Zappe is not a sign that Sanders is in any immediate danger of losing his roster spot since it’s common practice across the league for teams to carry a quarterback on their practice squad.
However, Zappe has shown he can fill in if needed and the book is out on whether Sanders is an NFL-caliber quarterback.
Zappe, a 2022 fourth-round pick, has appeared in 15 games across the last three seasons, including a career-high 10 with the 2023 Patriots. He made one appearance with the Browns last season.
It gives the Browns some experience in their quarterback room beyond Flacco.
The Chiefs waived him during Tuesday’s roster cuts and it’s likely that comfort level with coach Kevin Stefanski’s system factored into his decision to return.
For his career, Zappe has tossed 12 touchdowns to 14 interceptions.
His addition comes while the Browns have made some recent changes to their quarterback room to prepare for the season.
They traded Kenny Pickett — whom they acquired from the Eagles in the offseason — earlier this year to the quarterback-needy Raiders and released veteran Tyler “Snoop” Huntley.
Those transactions solidified their quarterback depth chart with the 40-year-old Flacco as the starter, Gabriel as the backup and Sanders as the the third-string option.
Sanders will dress on gamedays but only be used in emergencies.
The Browns opted to have Gabriel — whom they drafted two rounds before Sanders — be the first option in case they need to replace Flacco, which many expect will eventually happen.
Sanders had perhaps the most scrutinized preseason of any fifth-rounder in NFL history, with plenty of hot takes about whether the Browns are setting him up for success.
Gabriel completed 25 of 37 passes for 272 yards with one touchdown and one interception in the preseason, while Sanders completeed 17 of 29 passes for 152 yards with two touchdown passes.
“It’s such an all-encompassing evaluation,” Stefanski said of naming Gabriel the No. 2. “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. (Gabriel)’s certainly somebody that we think is getting better and better.”