The New York Jets will be overhauling their quarterback room this offseason; that much is obvious after the disaster that was Justin Fields and Brady Cook in 2025.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, New York seems to have already gotten started on the project by signing former New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, and Cleveland Browns quarterback Bailey Zappe to a reserve/futures contract.
Zappe, a former fourth-round pick by the Patriots in the 2022 NFL Draft, figures to be a key depth piece for the Jets quarterback room in 2026.
Maybe he won’t see the field, but his experience could make the former Western Kentucky product an important mentor for a developing rookie quarterback next season.
Bailey Zappe’s Historic College Career
The story of Zappe’s path to the NFL begins with his historic final season of college football.
After spending his first four seasons at Houston Baptist, Zappe transferred to Western Kentucky in 2021, gaining an extra year of eligibility thanks to the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season.
With the Hilltoppers, Zappe set single-season records for passing yards and passing touchdowns in FBS history, tossing a whopping 62 touchdown passes and throwing for 5,967 yards.
His performance helped put him on the map ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, and with the 137th overall pick in the fourth round, the New England Patriots added the Victoria, Texas native to their quarterback room.
Bailey Zappe’s First Taste of NFL Action
Zappe started his pro football career as the third quarterback with the New England Patriots, sitting behind former first-round pick Mac Jones and veteran backup Brian Hoyer.
The future New York Jets quarterback would get his first in-game experience in Week 4 of the 2022 season, when Jones was inactive, and Hoyer was injured early in a start against the Green Bay Packers.
Zappe completed 66% of his passes and threw for 99 yards and a touchdown en route to a 27-24 overtime loss to Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
With both Jones and Hoyer unable to suit up the following week, Zappe made his first career start against the Detroit Lions, completing an impressive 17 of 21 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown during the 29-0 blowout victory.
After a second consecutive win the following week against the Cleveland Browns, Zappe became the first quarterback in the modern era to win his first two career starts and have a passer rating of 100 or more.
Jones would return the following week, and while Zappe impressed in his short stint as a starter, he wouldn’t get another nod until the following year, Week 13 of the 2023 season, to be exact.
He would even face his future team, the New York Jets, in Week 18 of the 2023 season.
In August 2024, Zappe was waived by the Patriots.
Chiefs, Browns Play Practice Squad Ping-Pong With Bailey Zappe
Throughout 2024 and 2025, Zappe would bounce back and forth between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cleveland Browns’ practice squads.
His only in-game appearance came in Week 18 of the 2024 season, when he started Cleveland’s final game against the playoff-bound Baltimore Ravens.
Zappe did his best job as a mentor for the Browns in 2025, as the only veteran quarterback in Cleveland’s room of two rookies, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
The New York Jets are likely hoping he’ll be able to impart the same wisdom on their own future rookie quarterback that he was able to do on those two youngsters.
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