QB Joe Flacco won the Comeback Player of the Year Award with the Cleveland Browns in 2023. Many believe he salvaged his career to the point that he will gain consideration as a starting option next season. Naturally he wants to start, but reportedly, “a reunion with the Browns is Flacco’s first choice”.
That’s the report from Mike Florio via Pro Football Talk. “[Joe Flacco] loves playing there — the team, the city, the fans, everything”, Florio writes. “The two sides met regarding the possibility last week, at the Scouting Combine”. Others have reported that Flacco loved his time in Cleveland as well.
The Browns lost their starting quarterback, Deshaun Watson, in Week 10 against the Baltimore Ravens. They cycled through other options before turning to Flacco, who initially was signed to the practice squad, in Week 13. Cleveland lost, 36-19, Flacco going 23-of-44 for 254 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
But the Browns won their next four games with him under center and he took them to the playoffs. Overall, he went 123-of-204 passing for 1,616 yards over five games. He threw 13 touchdowns during that span, but he also added eight interceptions.
Although he threw for over 300 yards in their playoff loss to the Houston Texans, he also threw two interceptions. The defense returned both of them for touchdowns, cementing an embarrassing, blowout loss, 45-14.
While they posted a 4-1 regular-season record with Flacco, the Browns also won five of six games with Watson. He went 105-of-171 throwing for 1,115 yards with seven touchdowns to four interceptions. In addition, he also rushed for 142 yards with one touchdown, though he fumbled five times.
Of course, money tends to make most decisions for us. The Browns owe Watson $46 million for the 2024 season. They also owe him $46 million for the 2025 season. In addition to that, the Browns owe Watson $46 million for the 2026 season. I trust you see the pattern forming. The only mechanisms for getting out of that contract are out of their hands.
There are basically three possibilities: he retires, a team trades for him, or he faces criminal charges. Other than that, Cleveland still owes Watson $138,000,000 over the next three years. They agreed to that when they acquired him via trade in 2022 and signed him to a five-year, $230 million contract that they fully guaranteed.
But as it concerns Flacco, the question is simple: will anybody else give him a starting opportunity? Nobody even wanted him on their roster halfway through the 2023 season. He put together a solid five-game stretch of inflated stats, but he seems like a desperation option for a starter.
The negotiating window opens next week, so Flacco can explore his potential market then. If he doesn’t feel as though he has much of a shot at competing somewhere else, the Browns may offer him his best option. They want him in case Watson struggles or goes down with another injury. They can’t do anything about the money at this point, but they theoretically can bench Watson.
