The Cleveland Browns made a series of roster moves ahead of their Week 13, Monday Night Football showdown with the Denver Broncos. That list of transactions included trimming their quarterback room down to just two signal callers.
Cleveland revealed it was waiving backup quarterback Bailey Zappe just hours before kickoff. The move was made simultaneously with the signing of rookie defensive tackle Jowon Briggs to the active roster from the practice squad. It will mark the first time that Briggs is active for the Browns on game day since being selected as a seventh-round pick back in April’s NFL Draft. Briggs as spent the entirety of the season on the practice squad.
Meanwhile, Zappe was initially signed by the Browns following Deshaun Watson suffering a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 7. Zappe has served as the team’s emergency third QB every week since his signing and hasn’t played a snap for Cleveland.
Along with those two moves, the team also announced it was promoting wide receivers Kadarius Toney and Michael Woods II to the active roster from the practice squad. Those promotions come after the team officially ruled out 2023 third-round pick Cedric Tillman over the weekend. Tillman spent the entirety of the week in the concussion protocol and was not able to clear it in time for Monday night.
The two-time Super Bowl champion, Toney, has appeared in one game for Cleveland this season, back in Week 11 against the New Orleans Saints. He had one rush attempt in that game for a seven-yard loss.
Meanwhile, Woods II will be part of the game-day roster for the first time this season. He appeared in 10 games as a rookie in 2022 before missing last season due to a torn Achilles.
