Overview

• Cleveland officially added Zappe and five others to the practice squad, bringing the total to 15 with two spots still open, including one reserved for the International Pathway program.
• Head coach Kevin Stefanski has set Dillon Gabriel as the primary backup for Week 1 against the Bengals, with Joe Flacco starting.
• Local reporting suggests Zappe could be designated as the game-day emergency No. 3 due to his familiarity with the system, which would mean less immediate responsibility for Shedeur Sanders.
• Zappe previously spent 11 weeks on the Browns' practice squad in 2024 and started the team's Week 18 game at Baltimore.
• General manager Andrew Berry said the team is happy to have Sanders in the program, though his preseason finale included five sacks and limited production that underscored his developmental status.