Bailey Zappe got the starting nod at QB over Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the season finale in Baltimore on Saturday. (Cleveland Browns)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Takeaways from Browns practice and interviews …
Anyone following the Browns over the past 26 years, or so, knew it was inevitable the day Bailey Zappe was signed off the practice squad of the Kansas City Chiefs.
You just knew he would eventually join that ever-expanding fraternity of quarterbacks to start a game for the Browns in their expansion era.
Zappe learned from coach Kevin Stefanski after practice that he would start the Browns’ season finale in Baltimore on Saturday.
Thus, the name Zappe has been etched in Browns expansion history.
* He is the 40th quarterback to start a game since 1999.
* He is the 11th QB to start a game in five seasons with Stefanski as head coach.
* He is the third QB4 to start a game in a season, following Joe Flacco in 2023 and Bruce Gradkowski in 2008.
Last year, the Browns outdid themselves by starting a QB5, Jeff Driskel, in what was a meaningless finale for them in Cincinnati after clinching the No. 5 AFC playoff seed a week earlier.
This year’s finale actually has very divergent meaning for both teams.
The Ravens can clinch the AFC North title with a win.
The Browns can clinch a top five position in the 2025 draft order with a loss. In fact, a loss would keep alive the Browns’ 9.4% chance of claiming the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, the Browns, who currently sit at No. 3, trail New England (78.1%) and Tennessee (11.6%) in earning the right to select first.
Zappe takes over for Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who struggled with 0 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in two starts while the offense totaled 549 yards and 9 points in losses to Cincinnati and Miami.
While Stefanski declined to confirm his starter, he said both quarterbacks would see action against the Ravens.
On Wednesday, Zappe said, “Obviously it’s a great opportunity. Personally, I kind of look at it like I’m on a one-year deal here. I have no idea what the future holds for me and it’s a great opportunity for me to go out there, play some football and get some film on it for people to watch. Hopefully it’s a good film, but I’m excited for the opportunity.”
Zappe can be a restricted free agent after the season.
Fourth-round frolics
Zappe, who played at Western Kentucky, was drafted in the fourth round by the Patriots in 2022. As it turned out, that was an eventful round for AFC North Teams.
The Browns selected kicker Cade York with the 19th pick in the round, 124th overall. York kicked in a few games this year with the Bengals and almost quashed their faint playoff hopes with a doink off the left upright in overtime in a must-win game against Denver.
Besides Zappe with the 137th overall pick, the Patriots selected running back Pierre Strong at No. 127. Strong was traded to the Browns last year and is still on their roster but will miss the last game with a concussion.
The Ravens took their current punter, Jordan Stout, at No. 130, the Steelers took wide receiver and returner Calvin Austin at No. 138, and the Ravens took TE2 Isaiah Likely at No. 139.
It’s good to be loved
Two weeks ago, Myles Garrett vented about the uncertain direction of the club and sent tremors through the organization with comments that he doesn’t want to remain with the Browns if they go through another rebuilding process.
While Garrett has backed down some, two prominent members of the organization has showered Garrett with praise and campaigned for the pass rusher to win his second consecutive defensive player-of-the-year award.
On Wednesday, defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said:
“Our team was better last year, but it’s hard to say that Myles isn’t better this year. I mean, he’s leading the NFL in sacks or tied. He’s leading the league in tackles for losses. And you guys know, like, with me, it’s like, hey, you sacked a guy for four yards, or you get a tackle for a loss for four yards. As a coach, it’s second and 14, right? So, I don’t look at those a lot different but he’s leading the league in both of those categories and he sees more double teams than anybody in the league.
“I think that sometimes when you have a season like we’ve had, you can lose individual accomplishment. He also did it fighting some injuries early in the season, too. So, he’s been able to stay focused. I mean it’s hard when you go out and you get doubled every single play. But he still battles, and he still found a way to be successful, still has a high win percentage, still has the pressure, still has a really good pressure rate and sacks. I’ve been really proud of his effort this year.”
On Thursday, Stefanski said:
“If he won the award last year playing it the way he played last year, I don’t see how he’s not the best defensive player in the game this year. Whatever metric you want to measure that by … if you want to go with the eye test, I think everybody would agree. I think if you want to go with the advanced metrics and look at the pressure numbers and the times that he’s getting double teamed and slides are going his way, that’s the piece to me that I think is so impressive and remarkable is he’s doing all this with getting all of the attention from the other team.
“It’s like a degree of difficulty that he’s able to lead the league in sacks and tackles for loss with all that attention. It should be impossible. So, that just speaks to the caliber he’s playing at. I don’t have a vote in it, but I don’t see how he’s not the best defensive player in the National Football League again.”
Garrett himself campaigned for the award after sacking Russell Wilson three times in a Thursday night prime-time win over the Steelers.
Asked Thursday if he felt he was playing better than last year, Garrett said, “Yes, to say it bluntly. But I feel like I faced much more difficult odds this year, and offenses have done quite a lot to try to take me out of the game and made it blatantly obvious. But I feel like the guys around me have really helped me thrive as much as I have at this point. Just got to continue to add on to what I’ve done with this last game. But I couldn’t have done it without all the guys with me, the other 10.”
Brownie bits
The Haslam Sports Group announced it will execute its exclusive option to purchase a 176-acre site in Brook Park to build a covered stadium and mixed-use development surrounding it …
The Browns ruled out the following players from Saturday’s game: running back Jerome Ford (ankle), linebacker Jordan Hicks (concussion), running back Pierre Strong (concussion) and cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder).