The Kansas City quarterback room grew by one on Friday as the Chiefs signed Bailey Zappe to a one-year deal, multiple outlets reported.
Financial terms for Zappe’s deal were not disclosed.
On Thursday, the Chiefs signed journeyman quarterback Gardner Minshew II, recently released by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Now, Zappe and Minshew will battle for the No. 2 job in Kansas City behind Patrick Mahomes, a role filled by Carson Wentz last season. Wentz remains a free agent.
Zappe, 25, spent the first part of the 2024 season on the Kansas City practice squad before he was claimed by the Browns on Oct. 22. He started one game with Cleveland — a 35-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Jan. 4. He was 16-of-31 passing for 170 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.
He previously played for the New England Patriots (2022-23), appearing in 14 games (eight starts). He had a 4-4 record and completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 2,053 yards with 11 TDs and 12 picks for the Pats.
The Chiefs also re-signed veteran running back Kareem Hunt to a one-year deal for $1.5 million, worth up to $2.5 million with incentives, per multiple reports.
Hunt, 29, started his NFL career with the Chiefs, who selected him in the third round of the 2017 draft. He played two seasons in Kansas City and five with the Cleveland Browns before returning to the Chiefs last season.
He played in 13 regular-season games (eight starts) and rushed for 728 yards and seven touchdowns. He added 117 yards and two TDs in three playoff games.
Hunt has 5,164 career rushing yards and 47 TDs as well as 249 catches for 2,066 yards and 17 TDs in 104 regular-season games (46 starts). He has seven rushing and one receiving TD in seven postseason games (one start).
The Chiefs also are signing defensive end Jerry Tillery to a one-year deal, NFL Network reported.
Tillery, 28, played in 17 regular-season games (11 starts) for the Minnesota Vikings last season and totaled 28 tackles and one forced fumble.
He was a first-round pick (28th overall) of the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2019 draft. Tillery has 175 career tackles with 12.5 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 44 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 96 regular-season games (50 starts).
–Field Level Media
