Browns elevate Bailey Zappe to back up Shedeur Sanders vs. Raiders

Following the concussion sustained last week by Dillon Gabriel, the Cleveland Browns have been forced to reshuffle the quarterback room as they get set to take on the Las Vegas Raiders.

As first reported by Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Cleveland Browns have elevated quarterback Bailey Zappe from the practice squad to the active roster. Zappe will serve as the primary backup to rookie starter Shedeur Sanders for Sunday’s matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

For Sanders, Sunday marks his first career NFL start, but Zappe provides a layer of experience behind him, albeit limited within this specific system. Zappe has appeared in just one regular-season contest for Cleveland, which occurred during the season finale in Week 18 of last year.

In that outing against the Baltimore Ravens, Zappe’s performance was uneven. He completed just over half of his passes (16 of 31) for 170 yards. While he managed to throw one touchdown pass, the effort was marred by two interceptions as the offense struggled to find a consistent rhythm.

The Browns are hoping Zappe won't be needed on the field this Sunday, but his presence ensures a veteran arm is available should the rookie Sanders exit the game.

This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns elevate Bailey Zappe to back up Shedeur Sanders vs. Raiders