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Former New England Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe tried out for the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday.
It’s possible the New England Patriots haven’t seen the end of quarterback Bailey Zappe.
No, New England’s 2022 fourth-round pick isn’t coming back to Foxboro. But a potential return to the AFC East is on the table.
According to the NFL transaction wire, Zappe tried out for the Miami Dolphins on Tuesday. The tryout occurred the same day the Dolphins placed starting quarterback Malik Willis on injured reserve with a groin issue.
Zappe started eight games for the Patriots after the team selected him at No. 137 overall in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He went 4-4 as a starter, including 2-0 as a rookie in 2022.
In 14 games overall with the Patriots, Zappe posted a 63.2% completion percentage and 6.8 yards per pass with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.
Ex-Patriots’ Bailey Zappe Tries Out for Dolphins
Miami has hosted more players for tryouts than the average NFL team this season. That was again the case Tuesday, as the Dolphins had nine players for workouts on the league’s trade deadline day.
Zappe and Austin Reed were the two quarterbacks to try out for Miami. Ironically, both attended Western Kentucky in college.
Zappe was impressive as a rookie, but he didn’t continue to develop in his second campaign under Bill Belichick. He lost four of six starts with New England in 2023, which was Belichick’s last season when the team finished 4-13.
Under new head coach Jerod Mayo, the Patriots moved on from Zappe.
The quarterback landed with the Cleveland Browns. He lost his only start with Cleveland in 2024, going 16 of 31 with 170 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. That was his only appearance with the team.
Zappe started the 2025 offseason with the Kansas City Chiefs. After not landing a job on the active roster, he returned to the Browns, where he spent the 2025 campaign on the team’s practice squad.
With the Dolphins, Zappe could join a New England rival. Interestingly, the quarterback was most recently with a different AFC East rival — the New York Jets.
Zappe signed a futures deal with the Jets in January. New York released the quarterback in late August and then brought him back on the practice squad. The Jets released Zappe again before Week 3.
In 15 NFL games, Zappe has registered a 62.1% completion percentage, 6.6 yards per pass, 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Dolphins Place Malik Willis on Injured Reserve
Again, Miami has been hosting a lot of tryouts this season, as the organization has turned over its roster in the first year of the Jeff Hafley era.
The Dolphins, though, held quarterback tryouts Tuesday not with culture building or the future in mind, but with an immediate need at the position.
Willis won’t be able to play for the Dolphins over the next four weeks on injured reserve. During that time, Miami will turn to backup Kyle McCord.
The Dolphins began Wednesday without another signal-caller on their active roster besides McCord. Quarterback Brady Cook is currently on the team’s practice squad.
If Zappe joins the Dolphins, the Patriots could face him late this season. New England will host Miami in the regular season finale during Week 18.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers and a variety of other NFL teams. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb