Photo: New York Jets
The Ottawa Redblacks have added American quarterback Bailey Zappe to their negotiation list. The move was reflected on the CFL’s official tracker on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old started the season on the practice roster with the New York Jets, but was released on Tuesday to make room for former second-round NFL draft pick Will Levis. He is now a free agent.
The six-foot-one, 215-pound passer was originally selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He made eight starts over two seasons with the team, going 4-4. He has also been a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, Cleveland Browns, and Jets.
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In total, the native of Victoria, Texas has completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 2,223 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions in the NFL. He has also rushed for 85 yards and one touchdown, been sacked 32 times, and lost four fumbles.
Zappe’s exclusive CFL rights have previously belonged to the Toronto Argonauts and Saskatchewan Roughriders. According to Spotrac, he has earned $3.8 million in the NFL.
The Redblacks also claimed the rights to American quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who had a previous stint on the team’s negotiation list prior to being removed.
The six-foot-four, 210-pound passer led the NCAA in passing yards at the University of North Texas in 2025. He completed 68.9 percent of his passes for 4,379 yards, 34 touchdowns, and nine interceptions, and rushed for 89 yards and five scores.
The 20-year-old is currently a redshirt sophomore at Oklahoma State University. He has gone 2-1 as a starter so far this season, completing 65.8 percent of his passes for 882 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions.
CFL teams can claim the rights to up to 45 players via the negotiation list on a first-come, first-served basis, provided that they are not eligible for the Canadian or Global Drafts, and do not have CFL veteran status. These players can be added, traded, or removed from the list at any time.
Being added to a negotiation list does not mean that the player has expressed interest in the CFL, and some are unaware that their rights have even been claimed. Players can only force their removal from the list if the team does not provide them with a minimum contract offer at their request.
The Ottawa Redblacks (0-13) will host the Calgary Stampeders (6-8) on Saturday, September 26 with kickoff scheduled for 3:00 p.m. EDT. The two teams met at McMahon Stadium last week, where Rene Paredes kicked a 62-yard game-winning walk-off field goal.
The game will be broadcast on TSN, RDS2, CTV, and Crave in Canada, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune-in on 770 CHQR in Calgary or TSN 1200 in Ottawa.