The Baltimore Ravens may be gifted an opportunity to upgrade their backup quarterback position.
The Ravens' backup quarterback situation has been something of a concern this offseason. Behind Lamar Jackson, the Ravens have 38-year-old Josh Johnson and sixth-round rookie Devin Leary.
Preseason didn't do much to quiet those concerns that the Ravens don't have the depth to survive an injury to Lamar Jackson.
If the Ravens want to upgrade the position, they might be able to look into Bailey Zappe.
Zappe was waived by the New England Patriots on Tuesday in a somewhat surprising move.
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The 25-year-old Zappe has started eight of 14 career games in two seasons with the Patriots. He's completed 63% of his passes for his career while throwing for 2,053 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He has a career passer rating of 78.5.
Though his career numbers are fairly pedestrian, Zappe has had impressive moments in his short career. He briefly stole the starting job from Mac Jones in 2022, helping lead the Patriots to back-to-back wins while throwing for 497 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception, and completing 74.5% of his passes.
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Zappe was a bit more up-and-down last season, but he did have a strong three-game stretch in Weeks 13-15 in which he went 2-1, threw for 676 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions with a 72% completion.
While the Ravens trust Johnson to be prepared if called upon, he struggled to move the ball in preseason. Though he was playing without the Ravens' usual offensive starters, he was also largely playing against backup defenses. Zappe might offer a higher ceiling and perhaps even be able to lift the Ravens to a win or two if Jackson gets injured.
The question is how much the Ravens want to invest in backup quarterback. If Jackson were to suffer a major injury, it would likely tank the Ravens season anyway. If Jackson were to sustain a minor injury that keeps him out two or three games, it would be essential for Baltimore to stay afloat. They might believe Johnson can do that, especially if they're able to lean more on Derrick Henry and the run game to carry the offense.
Zappe figures to have plenty of suitors, as he is a high-quality backup in what is otherwise a thin market. It's unclear if the Ravens have interest or room to upgrade backup quarterback, but Zappe makes sense as an option to consider.
