It’s possible the New England Patriots haven’t seen the end of quarterback Bailey Zappe.
No, New England’s 2022 fourth-round pick isn’t coming back to Foxboro. But a potential return to the AFC East is potentially on the table.
According to the NFL transaction wire, Zappe tried out for the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday. The tryout occurred the same day the Dolphins placed starting quarterback Malik Willis on injured reserve with a groin issue.
Zappe started eight games for the Patriots after the team selected him at No. 137 overall in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He went 4-4 as a starter, including 2-0 as a rookie in 2022.
In 14 games overall with the Patriots, Zappe posted a 63.2% completion percentage and 6.8 yards per pass with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Ex-Patriots’ Bailey Zappe Tries Out for Dolphins
Miami has hosted more players for tryouts than the average NFL team this season. That was again the case Tuesday, as the Dolphins had nine players for workouts on the league’s trade deadline day.
Zappe and Austin Reed were the two quarterbacks to try out for Miami. Ironically, both attended Western Kentucky in college.
Zappe was impressive as a rookie, but he didn’t continue to develop in his second under Bill Belichick. He lost four of six starts with New England in 2023, which was Belichick’s last season when the team finished 4-13.
Under new head coach Jerod Mayo, the Patriots moved on from Zappe.
The quarterback landed with the Cleveland Browns. He lost his only start with Cleveland in 2024, going 16 of 31 with 170 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in his only appearance.
Zappe started the 2025 offseason with the Kansas City Chiefs. After not landing a job on the active roster, he returned to the Browns, where he spent the 2025 campaign on the team’s practice squad.
With the Dolphins, Zappe could join a New England rival. Interestingly, the quarterback was most recently with a different AFC East rival — the New York Jets.
Zappe signed a futures deal with the Jets in January. New York released the quarterback in late August and then brought him back on the practice squad. The Jets released Zappe again before Week 3.
In 15 NFL games, Zappe has registered a 62.1% completion percentage, 6.6 yards per pass, 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Former Patriots’ Bailey Zappe Lands Tryout With AFC East Rival