The Cleveland Browns are once again dealing with changes at the quarterback position.
With starter Deshaun Watson out for the season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon and backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson struggling with a finger injury on his throwing hand, Cleveland signed QB Bailey Zappe from Kansas City’s practice squad on Tuesday.
The team also put Watson on injured reserve, which is a necessary step for the Browns, who have lost five games in a row, turning what started as a promising season into a challenging one.
Watson is set to have surgery this week after injuring his tendon during a draw play in Sunday’s 21-14 defeat to the Bengals. This marks the second consecutive season he has faced a serious injury, as he broke his right shoulder after six games last year.
Watson’s injury late in the first half led to some Browns fans cheering when he went down, a reaction that upset many of his teammates.
Thompson-Robinson took over for Watson but injured his finger on his throwing hand in the second half and had to be replaced by Jameis Winston. This was the first time this season that Thompson-Robinson was Watson’s backup.
Coach Kevin Stefanski mentioned on Monday that he is waiting for more medical updates on Thompson-Robinson. He completed 11 out of 24 passes for 82 yards and threw two interceptions before getting injured.
Thompson-Robinson started three games last season and played in eight as a rookie while Watson was recovering from a shoulder strain. The Browns ended up using five different quarterbacks, with Joe Flacco leading them to the playoffs after joining as a free agent.
For now, Zappe provides the Browns with some backup behind Thompson-Robinson and Winston, who may start this week against Baltimore.
Zappe has started eight games for New England over the last two seasons, finishing with a 4-4 record. The 25-year-old joined the Chiefs after being let go by the Patriots this summer.
His best performance was against the Browns, where he completed 24 of 34 passes for 309 yards in a 38-15 victory in 2022.
Watson’s time in Cleveland is facing another critical moment. The Browns signed him to a $230 million contract in 2022, and he is set to earn $46 million in each of the next two years.
However, Watson has not met the expectations of his contract and is now facing a major injury that will need months to heal.
