The Cleveland Browns have signed Bailey Zappe as a replacement for Deshaun Watson after he suffered a season-ending injury.

Zappe will be signed off the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad after joining up with the back-to-back Super Bowl champions ahead of the NFL season. The 25-year-old quarterback was a fourth-round pick in the 2022 draft, selected by the New England Patriots.

The former Houston Baptist and Western Kentucky college starlet was named as the third-string quarterback for the 2022 season behind starter Mac Jones and Brian Hoyer by the Patriots. Zappe made his debut in week four after injury ruled Jones out of action and Hoyer was injured during the game.

After fading out of the limelight, he now gets a fresh opportunity in Cleveland. The Browns lost starting quarterback Watson for the rest of the season after he was carted off the field in tears against the Cincinnati Bengals after suffering a torn Achilles.

His replacement, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, suffered a finger injury that also saw him withdrawn. The Browns’ No. 3 quarterback Jameis Winston against the Bengals was called into action and finished the game. Winston could start Sunday’s match-up against the Baltimore Ravens if Thompson-Robinson is ruled out.

Quarterback Zappe is on the move after playing 14 games and taking eight starts in his two-year stint with the Patriots, totaling 2,053 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions with a completion rate of 63.7 per cent. His release last summer led him to sign with the Chiefs, following a strategic shake-up under Jerod Mayo that made his role at the Patriots surplus to requirements.

Despite being just 25, Zappe now serves as an experienced substitute for Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, who is eager to remedy Cleveland’s dire 1-6 record currently the worst in the NFL.

On Monday, Coach Stefanski wouldn’t speculate on Deshaun Watson’s future in light of his serious injury during a challenging season. Stefanski expressed his belief in Watson, saying: “Yeah, obviously I believe in Deshaun,” but stressed the immediate focus was on acknowledging the unfortunate injury.

“But I also think it’s important just to acknowledge that he just had a bad injury and bad break for him and we’re feeling bad for him and know that he’ll bounce back but not getting into all those things down the road. I’m looking forward to him getting the surgery and obviously getting his body back.”

When probed about whether he has clarity on where Watson stands as a quarterback, Stefanski was candid yet empathetic: “I understand the question and feel badly for Deshaun with this injury,” explaining, “You know, this is a tough break for him, but I know he will bounce back.

“He’s been a great contributor to this football team, both in the locker room, on the practice field, on the game field, and we’ll just support him as he rehabs from that injury. I do think we know what he’s about. I know what he brings to the table for this football team.”