The NFL can't quit Joe Flacco, and Joe Flacco can't quit the NFL. At this point, it's an addiction. It's inevitable. Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the former Baltimore Ravens legend Joey Flock-o has agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal with the Cleveland Browns, giving the 40-year-old at least one more year before pulling out the walker.
This move says more about the state of the Browns than it does about Flacco. They’ve got Deshaun Watson coming off another major injury, Kenny Pickett arriving via trade, and a front office that’s already met with half the top quarterback prospects in this year’s draft. Signing Flacco is all about insurance. It’s about not letting the entire season unravel if Plan A or B or C doesn’t pan out.
The deal can be worth up to $13 million with incentives, which, given the Browns’ uncertain QB room, isn’t totally unrealistic. Watson is still rehabbing. Pickett exists. And now, Flacco returns to a familiar system with real “break glass in case of emergency” vibes.
Joe Flacco returns to the Browns on a one-year deal
Flacco returning to Cleveland doesn’t change their outlook at quarterback, but it does give them a baseline. He knows Kevin Stefanski’s offense, has real experience with the personnel, and gave them some of their most stable quarterback play in recent memory.
That matters in a room that now includes Pickett and an injured and practically Watson.
Cleveland still has every reason to take a quarterback early in the draft. Whether it’s Shedeur Sanders, Jalen Milroe, or someone else, the Browns are in position to pair that rookie with a veteran who won’t need much time to get up to speed. If things go sideways again, Flacco gives them a known quantity.
At this point in his career, there’s no mystery about what Flacco is. He can manage a game, take deep shots, and keep the offense on schedule when asked. He’s not going to carry a team, but in Cleveland, that’s never really been the ask. They’ve seen what he looks like when things break down, and they clearly feel comfortable with the floor he provides.
This is probably Flacco’s last real shot to compete in the NFL, so yeah, it’s kind of a bummer it’s with the Browns—for several reasons. But get it while you can. For a former Super Bowl MVP who looked like he might have been done two years ago, that’s pretty cool. We'll see if the Ravens get a shot at him this season.