What Happened To Bailey Zappe? Jets Make Surprising Quarterback Move After Signing Will Levis

The New York Jets made a quiet but telling move on Tuesday, signing former Tennessee Titans starter Will Levis to their practice squad while releasing Bailey Zappe in a corresponding transaction. Levis, selected 33rd overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, had already worked out for the Jets before Week 1 but left without a contract. Three weeks into the 2026 season, New York circled back and made the call. Zappe, who joined the Jets' practice squad earlier this month, was cut loose to make room. Geno Smith and rookie Cade Klubnik remain on the active roster. 

Why did the Jets sign Will Levis over Bailey Zappe?

Bailey Zappe had nine career starts to his name, none of which came close to convincing the Jets he was worth keeping around. His preseason showing sealed the decision.  Zappe gave the Jets every reason to move on after a terrible preseason showing. 

Will Levis, on the other hand, at least carries the pedigree of someone who has been trusted as a franchise quarterback, even if things did not pan out in Tennessee. He started nine games in 2023 and threw eight touchdowns to four interceptions while tallying 1,808 yards. That first season looked like the beginning of something. Then 2024 arrived. The Titans went 2-10 in his 12 starts while he threw 13 touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Then came shoulder surgery, a lost season, and eventually, a release in August when Tennessee moved on with Cam Ward at the helm. 

Levis has not been shy about where he stands on his own abilities. "There are not 32 quarterbacks in this league better than me. I know that for sure," he said in the preseason. "I know I've put the tape out there already that I'm a dang good quarterback in this league." 

Whether the Jets share that confidence fully is another matter. Geno Smith and rookie Cade Klubnik are ahead of him on the active roster, and Levis slots in strictly as the emergency third option for now. But the Jets have clearly decided they want someone with actual starting experience occupying that role rather than a journeyman with limited upside. 

What does Will Levis bring to the Jets' Quarterback room?

The practical value here is depth with a resume. Will Levis completed 61% of his throws for 3,899 yards, 21 scores and 16 interceptions through the first 21 starts of his career. Those numbers are unspectacular, but they represent real NFL starting experience. Zappe's nine career starts, by comparison, offered far less to build on. 

The Jets brought Levis in for a workout at the start of September. Although that did not produce an immediate deal, it seemed like head coach Aaron Glenn liked what he saw. The timing of the signing, three weeks into a season where the Jets are trying to shed last year's struggles, suggests this was a move they had been planning since that workout. 

Levis, 27, spent his first three seasons with Tennessee before being released in August when the Titans went all in on Cam Ward. In 2026 preseason action, Levis completed 21 of 39 passes for 200 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions, which was clean if not electric. The Jets are not expecting him to set the world on fire from the practice squad. They just want a quarterback with genuine experience if things go sideways up the depth chart. 

Zappe lands elsewhere or waits for another call. Levis gets one more shot to prove he belongs.