Joe Flacco loved his time with the Cleveland Browns, but the veteran quarterback is expected to evaluate the market before committing to a return.
Flacco joined with the Browns after Deshaun Watson sustained a season-ending injury in November. He sparked the Browns’ offence throughout the regular season, going 4-1 in his starts. He threw for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. His performance won him Comeback Player of the Year honours and helped the injury-plagued Browns secure their first postseason position since 2020.
Flacco did not perform as well in the postseason. He threw two costly pick-sixes against the Houston Texans in a 45-14 Wild Card win.
The Browns will have the ability to bring back Flacco next season. If both sides agree, the team might try to sign him to a contract extension before he hits free agency. But Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot believes Flacco will test the market before making a choice.
“I think Flacco will test the market to see if any teams were inspired by his 4-1 performance with the Browns, and also to set his price,” Cabot said in her most recent Q&A column on February 25. “After getting a taste of beginning over, he surely doesn’t want to sit on the bench if he can help it, especially at 39. He understands that this is his chance to use what’s left in the tank, and he doesn’t want to waste it. He’ll also see if any team is prepared to pay Brissett the $8 million or whatever he received from the Commanders last season. If an opportunity to start does not arise, he will gladly return here.”
Joe Flacco Open to Returning to Browns
Part of the issue with Flacco’s return to the Browns is that he will not be given an opportunity to start. Despite Flacco’s great performance last season, the Browns will stick with Watson, their $230 million quarterback. Watson is expected to be ready for training camp following shoulder surgery.
Having said that, Flacco has become something of a folk hero in Cleveland. And he has raved about his time with the Browns.
“How lucky was I to get on a team that was ready to make a run like that and to be around a bunch of great guys in the locker room,” Flacco remarked on the “Pardon My Take” podcast on January 18. “There was something unique about being there and how the people treated me. My family and I both felt a strong sense of affection. You could feel the excitement in the city. They want some postseason wins and a chance at the Super Bowl.”
If that starting opportunity does not present itself, Cleveland appears to be at the top of Flacco’s priority list.
“I’m open to be back in Cleveland, but I don’t want to rush to any decisions,” he stated. “I can’t say enough good things about how this organization is being run right now.”
Browns believe Joe Flacco and Deshaun Watson can coexist.
Another potential barrier to bringing back Flacco is the impact it may have on Watson. Watson has only played in 12 games since being traded to the Browns in 2022, and his performance has been inconsistent. Watson has 2,217 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions with the Browns.
“Zero considerations,” Berry said of the anticipated “polarity” surrounding the decision to bring Flacco back. “Because of how both individuals are, it’s not a concern internally at all.”
The Browns are projected to have three quarterbacks next season. Depending on how free agency shakes out for the Browns, Dorian Thompson-Robinson will serve as either the backup or the third option.
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