Browns Reveal Starting QB vs. Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens will face a backup quarterback to close out the regular season.

Nov 3, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) throws the ball during warm ups before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns will start quarterback Bailey Zappe for Saturday's regular season finale against the Baltimore Ravens, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.

AP source says Bailey Zappe will start at quarterback for the Browns on Saturday. He'll be No. 40 since 1999.

— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) January 2, 2025

Zappe, who the Browns signed to the practice squad in October, will be the team's fourth starting quarterback of the season, following Deshaun Watson, Jameis Winston and Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Winston is still dealing with a shoulder injury and Thompson-Robinson has been underwhelming in his two starts, so Zappe is the next man up.

A 2022 fourth-round pick from Western Kentucky, Zappe is best known for his time with the New England Patriots, whom he started eight games for over two seasons. In that time, he completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 2,053 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also scored a touchdown on the ground in 2023.

Zappe's last NFL action came in Week 18 of last season, when he completed just 12 of 30 passes for 88 yards and two interceptions in a loss to the New York Jets. He has yet to see the field for the Browns.

Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski previously said both Zappe and Thompson-Robinson could play in this game, and that could very well be the case. The Browns have kept their quarterback situation under wraps up to this point, which has kept the Ravens on their toes.

"It definitely, in a sense, it does, because you don't know, but the good thing about it is, we have great people around the building who make cut ups and get us information to be prepared for both guys," defensive coordinator Zach Orr told reporters Wednesday.

"We're obviously familiar with Thompson-Robinson. Now, we're doing some work on Zappe, so our game plan really won't change much," he continued. "We have to go out there and handle business. We have to play clean football, play physical football [and] play sound football no matter who the quarterback is, and I think we'll be good."

The Ravens and Browns kick off from M&T Bank Stadium at 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.

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