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Daniel Oyefusi, ESPN
BEREA, Ohio — The Cleveland Browns will start Bailey Zappe at quarterback for Saturday’s regular-season finale against the Baltimore Ravens, a source confirmed to ESPN on Thursday.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said after Thursday’s practice that he would first inform the quarterbacks of his plans but that he expected to play both Zappe and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who has started the past two games.
Zappe, who was originally signed off the Kansas City Chiefs‘ practice squad in the wake of Deshaun Watson‘s season-ending Achilles tear in October, will be the 40th quarterback to start for the Browns since the franchise returned to Cleveland in 1999, the most in the NFL. Zappe has made eight starts in his career, in the 2022 and 2023 seasons as a member of the New England Patriots. The 2022 fourth-round pick has completed 63.2% of his passes for 2,053 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Thompson-Robinson, a 2023 fifth-round pick, struggled in his two starts, completing just 54.3% of his passes for 327 yards and threw three interceptions in the games, both Cleveland losses.
Jameis Winston, who was benched and has been inactive the past two games because of a shoulder injury, will serve as the emergency quarterback.
With a loss in Baltimore, plus wins by the Patriots and Tennessee Titans on Sunday, the Browns would clinch the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
The Browns on Thursday also ruled out five players for Saturday’s game, including Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward, tight end David Njoku and running back Jerome Ford.
The Associated Press first reported the Browns’ plan to start Zappe.