Who Should I Start? Bailey Zappe or Shane Buechele

Saturday, January 4, 9:28 PM

Cleveland Browns quarterback Bailey Zappe completed 16 of his 31 passes for 170 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions while adding two yards on two carries in a 35-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18. Zappe made his first and only start of the season for the Browns in the finale while showing spotty accuracy and a lack of arm strength in the lopsided loss. His first interception came in the first quarter and was a back-breaker as it was thrown right into the hands of rookie corner Nate Wiggins, who returned it 26 yards for a touchdown. The Browns turned to Dorian Thompson-Robinson to lead a drive at the end of the first quarter but he only wound up taking six snaps in the contest before the team reinserted Zappe at the beginning of the second quarter. An unrestricted free-agent heading into the offseason, Zappe will look to catch on as a backup quarterback somewhere ahead of the 2025 season.

Wednesday, January 29, 9:32 PM

According to Alec White of the team, the Buffalo Bills have re-signed quarterback Shane Buechele (neck) to a one-year deal. The Texas native spent the entirety of the 2024 season on injured reserve with a neck injury he sustained in the preseason and was previously a member of the Bills' practice squad in 2023. Buechele went undrafted out of SMU in 2021 and was signed by Kansas City, though he never recorded a snap. He'd then get a year off in 2022 before finding his way to Buffalo the following season. The 27-year-old's collegiate profile is nothing of note, brandishing one season with more than 3,100 passing yards and 23 touchdowns. However, his familiarity with Buffalo's system makes him a valuable emergency option should anything happen to the players ahead of him. He'll now attempt to work his way to their 53-man roster in 2025.