Joe Flacco

Colts, QB Joe Flacco Agree To Deal

Joe Flacco enjoyed a highly impressive late-season re-emergence with the Browns in 2023, but Cleveland elected to add Jameis Winston as a backup quarterback for 2024. Flacco has found a new opportunity for next season, though.

The reigning Comeback Player of the Year has agreed to a one-year deal with the Colts, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He adds the contract is worth up to $8.7MM and includes $4.5MM guaranteed. Flacco will thus be able to meet his stated goal of continuing his career for at least one more season, while taking the place of Gardner Minshew as the Colts’ backup to Anthony Richardson. Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network reports the Flacco pact includes incentives for playing time, wins, a playoff berth and postseason victories totaling $3.7MM.

Minshew agreed to a two-year deal with the Raiders at the onset of the negotiating window. That pact includes $15MM guaranteed and can be worth up to $25MM, leading many to believe he could compete for the starting role in Vegas. The Browns, meanwhile, inked Winston to a one-year deal worth a similar maximum value to the one Flacco has taken. Now, the latter and Indianapolis have struck a deal to meet each other’s needs.

Cleveland endured a slew of injuries on offense in 2023, including Deshaun Watson being lost for the campaign with a shoulder injury. The team identified Flacco as an insurance option for its other passers, but in short order it was the former Super Bowl MVP at the helm. Flacco took on starting duties to close out the regular season, averaging a stunning 323 passing yards per game. Without Nick Chubb in the fold, it was the 39-year-old’s play (coupled with a stout defense) which guided the Browns into the postseason (during which time, to be fair, his interception troubles became a major issue).

Both player and team expressed a willingness to work out a deal, with Flacco publicly stating his preference to remain in Cleveland. It had been expected that the longtime Ravens starter would reach the market, however, and the Winston deal confirmed the Browns would not pursue a re-up. Now, Flacco will take on a new QB2 role behind Richardson, whose rookie season was limited to just four games.

After being drafted fourth overall last April, Richardson joined Indianapolis with the expectation he would put an end to the team’s search for a permanent Andrew Luck successor. A healthy campaign will go a long way to determining his ability to reach that target. Flacco, meanwhile, will be in place as a capable backup after Minshew nearly did enough for the Colts to win the division in 2023 upon taking the reins. The former has stated an intention of playing at least two more years, and a strong showing in 2024 would help his chances of doing so.

Browns, Titans, Giants Eyeing QB Jameis Winston

MARCH 12: In addition to the Browns, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports the Titans and Giants have shown “preliminary interest” in Winston. Tennessee has Will Levis in place as the quarterback of the present and future, but adding an experienced option capable of starting or providing high-end insurance would be a logical move. Malik Willis holds the QB2 spot for now, but the Levis selection last spring has limited his ability to compete for a starting role in Nashville.

The Giants, meanwhile, saw Tyrod Taylor agree to a deal with the Jets yesterday. Linked to drafting a Daniel Jones successor this April, New York will at least need a veteran backup if Jones is unable to start the 2024 season on time as recovers from a torn ACL. Winston would fit the bill, and likely not at an especially high price tag.

MARCH 11: The Browns are hoping for a healthy season from Deshaun Watson in 2024, but that won’t stop the front office from pursuing a top-end backup. While the team navigates Joe Flacco‘s free agency, the Browns are eyeing another notable quarterback. According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, the Browns are interested in Jameis Winston as a backup QB.

[RELATED: Saints’ Jameis Winston Eyeing Starting Role]

Winston has been in New Orleans since 2020, and despite several changes atop the depth chart, he’s continued to serve as a fill-in at quarterback. As a result, the former first-overall pick was reportedly seeking a starting gig as he weighs free agent offers this time around. The 30-year-old has not played a full season as a starter since 2019, the year of his infamous 33-touchdown, 30-interception campaign with the Buccaneers

Of course, finding a QB1 job would be easier said than done, as few teams would simply hand the reins to Winston. For what it’s worth, the veteran has looked good as a backup in New Orleans. The Saints have gone 6-4 in Winston’s 10 starts with the organization, and the QB has tossed 20 touchdowns vs. 11 interceptions in his 21 games with New Orleans. He didn’t get a chance to start while serving as Derek Carr‘s back in 2023, with Winston completing only 25 of his 47 pass attempts while tossing two TDs and three interceptions.

The Browns lucked out with their backup plan in 2023. Flacco guided the Browns to a 4-1 record in his five starts, with the former Super Bowl winner finding the fountain of youth while tossing 13 touchdowns, his highest total since 2017. The veteran QB is reportedly looking to stick in Cleveland for the 2024 campaign, and the free agent confirmed that sentiment during a recent appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

“I can tell you that, all things equal, Cleveland is definitely the place where I’d feel best about,” Flacco said (via Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com). “Now, then you have to get into the world of, is someone actually going to give me a chance to play? And all the different things that go into that.

“But I can’t help but have a special feeling about Cleveland, just because of the few weeks that I spent there and how great the city was. And, listen, at the end of the day, I don’t necessarily want that to be a huge part [or] all of the decision. But I do think it will factor into the decision — if I end up having a decision to make.”

Joe Flacco Eyeing New Browns Deal

Joe Flacco is on track to hit free agency with far more value than he had one year ago. If the 39-year-old quarterback has his way, though, he will remain in Cleveland for 2024.

Flacco is among the Browns’ pending free agents, and a recent report noted he was expected to gauge the market for the chance to operate as a starter. He did so to close out the 2023 season – in surprisingly effective fashion – while filling in for the injured Deshaun Watson. The latter will be in place for years to come, though, meaning a new Browns accord would consign Flacco to backup duties.

In spite of that, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reports a Cleveland re-up is Flacco’s “first choice.” The former Super Bowl MVP joined midseason after failing to receive much interest following the end of his Jets tenure. He took charge of a severely injured offense down the stretch and helped lead the team to the postseason.

Flacco earned Comeback Player of the Year honors as a result, and he would no doubt be able to land at least a notable backup deal with any number of teams on the open market as he attempts to play two more years. It will be interesting to see how willing the Browns are to entertain talks in the coming days to prevent him from reaching free agency. The team currently has roughly $6.8MM in cap space.

Cleveland is amenable to a new Flacco pact, one which will add further to the cap investments made under center. Watson is currently set to count nearly $64MM against the cap over the next three years, meaning another restructure will be necessary. The Browns also added Dorian Thompson-Robinson in the fifth round of last year’s draft, giving them a young and cost-effective option at the QB spot even if Flacco leaves.

A signing amongst the various bridge options set to hit the market would allow the Browns to maintain depth in the wake of Watson’s season-ending shoulder injury. A number of outside options will be available, but retaining Flacco could wind up being the team’s ultimate direction if his desire to remain in place meshes with Cleveland’s valuation.

Browns’ Joe Flacco, Za’Darius Smith To Test Free Agency

Despite a slew of injury troubles at the quarterback position (among others), the Browns managed to post a record of 11-6 and qualify for the postseason. Joe Flacco was a major part in that success, and he plans on playing through the 2025 campaign.

The 39-year-old may not be in Cleveland for the next chapter of his career, however. Flacco is expected to test free agency in March, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com reports. In the wake of losing Deshaun Watson for the rest of the season, the Browns added Flacco as a depth quarterback option; he ultimately took over the starting role to close out the regular season, averaging 323 passing yards per game.

While turnover issues presented themselves in the wild-card round in particular, the former Super Bowl MVP earned Comeback Player of the Year honors for his surprise resurgence. The Browns are open to retaining him, but a new Cleveland deal would come with the understanding he would back up Watson. For that reason, Flacco’s desire to gauge his value on a potential deal sending him elsewhere is certainly reasonable.

A number of veteran QBs are set to reach free agency, and Flacco would be one of many available as a bridge starter or high-end backup. As Cabot notes, his preference would an opportunity to at least compete for the No. 1 role with his next team. In the event he were to depart, the Browns would move forward with Watson and 2023 fifth-rounder Dorian Thompson-Robinson atop the depth chart.

One of several front seven additions the Browns made last offseason was the acquisition of edge rusher Za’Darius SmithThe three-time Pro Bowler was tasked with serving as a complement to Myles Garrett, and he finished second on the team with 5.5 sacks. Cabot notes that Smith, like Flacco, will test the market before deciding on his future.

Likewise, the Browns’ preference would be to retain Smith at the right cost. Cleveland has Garrett under contract through 2026, but the team also added Ogbonnia Okoronkwo in free agency last offseason. The latter is signed for the next two seasons, and he would be in line for an increased workload in the event Smith were to depart. Now 31, Smith has managed to play 16 games in each of the past two seasons but his 15 total sacks in that span could lead to lukewarm interest on the market.

The Browns are currently over the 2024 cap by a margin of $7.76MM. That figure will change dramatically once Watson’s pact is inevitably restructured, but the team will still have other priorities beyond retaining Flacco and Smith. It will be worth watching to see how much interest both veterans generate and if Cleveland will be able to match any offers from outside suitors.

Latest On Aaron Rodgers’ Jets Influence; Robert Saleh Considering Reducing Nathaniel Hackett’s Role?

The Jets were ready for a different story in 2023. After year after year of question marks at the quarterback position, New York finally made the move for that franchise passer for which fans had been clamoring for so long. Yet in that trade for the then-39-year-old Aaron Rodgers, the Jets were getting much more than an upgrade to their quarterbacks room.

A lot of the influence that Rodgers demonstrated over the Jets last year came before he ever arrived. In order to “woo” Rodgers during the trade standoff, owner Woody Johnson approved the hiring of Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator, per Zack Rosenblatt and Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Hackett had a history with Rodgers, serving as his offensive coordinator for three years in Green Bay, two of which resulted in an MVP award for the four-time All-Pro. Unfortunately, though, Hackett was coming off of a disastrous campaign as head coach of the Broncos, during which he became just the fifth head coach since 1970 not to finish their first season as head coach.

Even before that, the Jets stayed busy signing many of Rodgers’ former teammates like wide receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, quarterback Tim Boyle, and offensive tackle Billy Turner. Not to mention that the veteran quarterback also pushed the team to add offensive tackle David Bakhtiari and tight end Marcedes Lewis to the roster, as well. Lots of this undue influence on personnel stemmed from his past in Green Bay, where he felt general manager Brian Gutekunst shut him out, especially after the drafting of his eventual replacement Jordan Love. In an effort to make Rodgers feel more in the loop, the team gave him a direct line of communication to general manager Joe Douglas.

Rodgers was even reportedly consulted on the lack of success from his offensive coordinator following Rodgers’ season-ending Achilles injury. Rosenblatt and Russini report that the team reached out to several veteran quarterbacks after Rodgers’ injury, including Chad Henne, Carson Wentz, and Colt McCoy. Of course, former Jet Joe Flacco was available, but the Jets staff reportedly didn’t view Flacco as an upgrade over backup quarterback Zach Wilson.

When the team ultimately chose to move forward with Wilson (and eventually Boyle and Trevor Siemian), many were critical of Hackett’s ability to adjust to the team’s new situation without Rodgers, with coaches and players describing the play-caller as “lacking in attention to detail.” The article reports that head coach Robert Saleh has explored the idea of adding new offensive staff and reducing Hackett’s role, an exploration that seems to involve Rodgers’ input.

Unlike Hackett, Saleh reportedly jumped into action after Rodgers’ injury, diving into a study of how the league’s best coaches of the past had dealt with similar situations. He found that, with the exception of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, all of the best current names in NFL coaching circles experienced losing records in seasons without their top passing option.

It was also Saleh who informed Wilson after his initial benching that he would be inactive for the remaining stretch of the season. When the head coach was forced to reverse course among injuries and other factors, it was Rodgers that Saleh turned to in order to convince Wilson to play again. That plan proved ill-conceived, though, as Wilson had soured on his former idol. Wilson reportedly expected to have a direct line to Rodgers as he undertook the duties of the starting quarterback. Despite reports that Rodgers had taken Wilson under his wing, due to the veteran’s obsessive pursuit for the world’s quickest return from a torn Achilles tendon, Wilson barely heard from him.

Aside from all of the internal influence, Rodgers’ activities outside of the building have caused ripples, as well. Even setting aside the headline-grabbing comments about late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, Rodgers’ famous paranoia was causing issues inside the Jets’ facility as he told Pat McAfee that there had “been a bunch of…leaks,” sending Saleh and staff into a witch hunt.

Regardless of it all, the plan remains largely the same for 2024. Saleh and Douglas, after public endorsements from Rodgers, will remain in place. Depending on how conversations between Saleh and Rodgers play out, the offensive coaching staff may look slightly different, but Hackett is likely to remain in place, as well. Rodgers, likely to be fully healthy by the beginning of the 2024 season, will return as the starting quarterback wearing several other hats beneath his helmet, his influence ever-present.

Browns Expect RB Nick Chubb Back In 2024, Also Want To Re-Sign QB Joe Flacco

It’s safe to say that the Browns’ 2023 campaign did not go according to plan. Still, thanks to some elite defense and wily moves from general manager Andrew Berry, Cleveland turned a seemingly lost season into a playoff appearance. Berry recently addressed the futures of both the player whose injury derailed their season and the player who may have salvaged it, per Jake Trotter of ESPN.

After only two games, a season-ending injury to running back Nick Chubb completely changed the outlook of the 2023 season. Without their star rusher, the Browns were forced to depend on second-year running back Jerome Ford and a re-signed veteran in Kareem Hunt. Even combined the two weren’t quite able to replicate the production lost in Chubb’s absence, leaving the team to depend on the quarterback position. When injuries seemed to ravage the quarterbacks room, as well, the team signed veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who eventually unseated the Browns’ backups and took his place as a starter for Cleveland, leading them to a 4-1 record as a starter before a first-round playoff exit.

Berry made it clear that, despite Chubb holding a $15.83MM cap hit in 2024 and Chubb’s contract containing an out wherein the team can cut him with only $4MM of dead cap after the fact, he expects Chubb to be on the team in 2024. “No one in the organization, nobody wants to see that carry in Pittsburgh be the last time that he carries the ball for the Cleveland Browns,” Berry told the media. “Obviously, there are things that we’ll have to work through, but (moving on from Chubb) would not be our intention.”

One of the things to work through is likely that cap number in 2024. Chubb is heading into a contract year, so it’s naturally a good time to start looking into an extension, if that’s what the team prefers. Doing so would allow them to hold on to Chubb, who likely still has plenty left in the tank, while structuring new cap numbers that push big hits further into the future. Chubb has incentive to take a new deal, as well, since he has already received all the guaranteed money on his deal and that 2023 potential out could leave him high-and-dry.

Flacco, on the other hand, seems to hold a bit more leverage in his negotiations. Berry praised Flacco for playing winning football but stopped short of expressing an expectation for his return, as well, claiming that it will depend “on the availability and the cost.” Flacco has made it clear that his one-year deal in Cleveland was meant to give himself the flexibility to look for other deals at the end of the season, and he certainly played himself into a favorable position there.

Chubb is widely expected to return to Cleveland in 2024. It’ll likely be under a new deal that grants Chubb new guaranteed money while lessening his impact on the team’s cap space. Flacco, though, is expected to test the waters of free agency. He likes to take jobs that give him a strong chance at a starting role, so unless he feels that the Browns give him the best chance to start, it’s hard to picturing him returning.

Joe Flacco Aiming To Play Two More Seasons

Joe Flacco will have a chance to start in a playoff game for the first time since a Ravens-Patriots divisional-round matchup nine years ago. This improbable development already had the 38-year-old quarterback planning to suit up in 2024; this stunning re-emergence also looks to be pointing the QB toward an age-40 season.

Considering Flacco was out of football from the time his most recent Jets contract expired in March until a Browns search — in the wake of Deshaun Watson‘s season-ending injury — led to a free agency addition, it is borderline shocking the former Ravens mainstay will be suiting up at all in a playoff game. But he now has designs on playing through the 2025 season, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes.

It should be considered a bit early to guarantee Flacco — a backup from 2020-22 after suffering injuries in 2018 and ’19 — can be a viable option through an age-40 season. Several passers have reached that point throughout NFL history. Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Brett Favre and Vinny Testaverde operated as regular starters past 40 this century, while Josh McCown, Matt Hasselbeck, Mark Brunell, Brad Johnson, Doug Flutie and Warren Moon played into their 40s since 2000. Aaron Rodgers turned 40 last month but saw his comeback from Achilles surgery fall short; the Jets QB is signed through 2024 and joins Flacco in aiming to play through 2025.

Going on a 4-1 march with Flacco as their starter, the Browns are interested in having Flacco back for his age-39 season. With Watson coming back, that would be an interesting dynamic. While Flacco has impressed as a fill-in starter, teams have viewed him as a backup since a neck injury ended his Broncos season in 2019. Flacco signed to back up Sam Darnold in 2020 and agreed to be the Eagles’ QB2 behind Jalen Hurts in 2021, being traded back to the Jets to play behind Zach Wilson.

No one was especially interested in Flacco this year, but he has probably changed that conversation for 2024. Injuries to starters across the league could result in clubs placing a higher priority on backups come March, and Flacco will join the likes of Darnold, Ryan Tannehill, Gardner Minshew, Jacoby Brissett, Tyrod Taylor and Marcus Mariota among possible bridge or QB2 options who could fare decently in free agency. Breer estimates Flacco could command around $10MM per year, particularly if a team authorizes a two-year contract. He played for $1.5MM in 2020 and $3.5MM in each of the past two years.

If Flacco’s price creeps toward the eight-figure-AAV range, it is conceivable the Browns would pass due to the Watson commitment. Flacco did decline offers to join other teams’ 53-man rosters while on Cleveland’s practice squad, prioritizing fit at this stage of his career. It will be interesting to see how the 16th-year veteran’s market looks come March; his postseason start will help determine what kind of offers come in for a player essentially discarded last year.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Browning, Steelers

In between the Browns going public with Deshaun Watson‘s season-ending injury and the team signing Joe Flacco, GM Andrew Berry gave his top two front office lieutenants an assignment. Berry asked assistant GMs Glenn Cook and Catherine Raiche to independently rank the veteran QB options, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, while doing the same himself. Although this process produced different second- and third-place finishers, Flacco ranked first across the board. Kevin Stefanski reaching out to ex-Vikings coworker Gary Kubiak on Flacco also helped the veteran’s cause, Breer adds. Flacco’s OC with the Ravens in 2014, Kubiak spoke highly of the former Super Bowl MVP. One of Flacco’s best seasons came under Kubiak in 2014, helping the latter become the Broncos’ HC.

After years as a backup, Flacco has taken the reins in Cleveland and has the team on the cusp of its second playoff berth over the past 20 years. Out of football until November, Flacco is now interested in playing next season. The Browns are interested in Flacco staying in Cleveland to do so.

Here is the latest from the AFC North:

  • Jake Browning took a step back in a Bengals Week 16 loss, but coming into that Steelers matchup, Joe Burrow‘s backup had been highly effective. The fifth-year veteran, who had never taken a regular-season snap until this year, still carries a 72% completion rate and an 8.5-yard average per attempt. Browning, 27, moved up from third-stringer to backup this year, with the Bengals letting Brandon Allen walk in free agency, and Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero notes he is interested in seeing what is out there for him in free agency. A 2024 free agent, Browning would at least generate appeal as an intriguing QB2. Teams have been burned by signing backups to be starters in recent years — as the additions of Brock Osweiler (Texans) and Nick Foles (Jaguars) have most famously shown — but this is a rather valuable position. Browning finishing the season strong will only up his price for 2024.
  • Patrick Peterson made his first start at safety in Week 16, intercepting Browning. Replacing Minkah Fitzpatrick in a depleted Steelers secondary, Peterson views the move as something that could extend his career. Aiming to play through at least the 2025 season (which would be his 15th year), the All-Decade cornerback said the move could be a prelude for his future. “I feel like this is a great move for me at this stage of my career,” Peterson said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Joe Rutter. “We have good corners who can be a cornerstone for this team. This could be my second career.” The Steelers had some safety work in mind when they signed Peterson to a two-year, $14MM deal. It will be interesting to see how Peterson, 33, is used moving forward. Steelers have Keanu Neal on IR and Damontae Kazee suspended for the regular season’s remainder.
  • Browns linebacker Anthony Walker underwent arthroscopic knee surgery recently, per ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter. The veteran defender missed Week 16 and is week-to-week. Walker suffered a torn quad tendon last year, ending his season after three games, but re-signed with the Browns and has started 12 games this season. Pro Football Focus ranks the ex-Colts draftee 32nd among off-ball ‘backers this season. Walker is not on IR, but he joins a growing number of unavailable Browns defenders. Ogbo Okoronkwo, Grant Delpit and Rodney McLeod are out of the mix as well. Delpit is on IR but could return in the playoffs, while Okoronkwo remains on the active roster despite a torn pec.

Browns Open To Re-Signing Joe Flacco

The Browns placing an aging quarterback behind an injury-riddled offensive line certainly injects risk into their equation, but the defense-powered team has won two of its three games with Joe Flacco at the helm. A string of developments have commenced during this span.

After playing his first two Browns games as a practice squad elevation, Flacco signed an incentive-laden deal to join the team’s 53-man roster. He rebuffed offers to sign with other teams while on Cleveland’s P-squad and, despite not landing a 2023 gig until November, is interested in playing a 17th NFL season in 2024. The Browns may give the former Ravens mainstay that opportunity.

The team obviously remains tied to Deshaun Watson as its starter, but Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero notes it has held internal discussions on a deal that would keep Flacco in Cleveland for the ’24 season. Flacco, who will turn 39 next month, has signed multiple contracts to be a backup during the 2020s. Although Watson’s fully guaranteed deal all but guarantees he will be Cleveland’s Week 1 starter next year, it would seem likely Flacco would be amenable — given his comments about his current situation so far — to coming back as a backup.

While Flacco has not been flawless since coming back, he has delivered surprising work to keep the Browns in place as the AFC’s top wild-card team. The 9-5 squad has benefited tremendously from the recent Jets backup, who at points resided as Gang Green’s third-stringer last season. Flacco has thrown seven touchdown passes and accumulated 939 passing yards (7.1 per attempt) with the Browns. He has only completed 57.9% of his passes, throwing five interceptions. But he showed a clear improvement on what the Browns possessed beyond Watson this season, upgrading on P.J. Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson — to the point Kevin Stefanski named the veteran his rest-of-season starter after his second start.

Thompson-Robinson’s rookie contract runs through 2026, but a Flacco re-signing would effectively move the fifth-round rookie to the developmental track. Thompson-Robinson has struggled this season, despite being given the QB2 role following the Browns’ Josh Dobbs trade in August. Watson’s troublesome throwing shoulder may well prompt Cleveland to be better prepared in terms of depth next season.

Another Watson restructure may well happen, as the team’s 2023 reworking has the starter’s 2024 cap number set to skyrocket to a record-shattering $63.97MM number. Despite early success, Flacco would be unlikely to command more than midlevel backup money in 2024. He would seemingly still fit in the Browns’ plans if attached to a full-season contract. A number of younger QB2 options will be available in March, but the early returns of Flacco’s fit in Stefanski’s offense have already led to the team considering a multiyear partnership.

Multiple Teams Attempted To Sign Joe Flacco Off Browns’ Practice Squad

Joe Flacco‘s Browns stay has doubled as a late-career re-emergence. The 16th-year veteran, despite spending more than half the season out of the NFL, has given the Browns a solid option amid the team’s difficult season at the quarterback position.

To start Flacco’s tenure, the Browns parked him on their practice squad. They kept the ex-Ravens mainstay there in Week 12, when Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker played during a loss to the Broncos, but changed up their starting lineup once again a week later. Flacco has started the past three Browns games, but only one of those — Week 15 against the Bears — came with the former Super Bowl MVP a part of Cleveland’s 53-man roster.

Amid their spree of QB transactions since trading for Deshaun Watson, the Browns made Flacco a gameday elevation ahead of games against the Rams and Jaguars. During a season featuring a number of significant quarterback injuries, Flacco’s agent said (via NBC Sports’ Peter King) two or three teams attempted to sign his client off Cleveland’s practice squad.

The Browns signed Flacco to their 53-man roster last week, giving him some incentives based on regular-season and postseason wins. Flacco cashed in a $75K incentive for leading the Browns to a comeback win over the Bears. Upon being signed to the Browns’ 53-man roster, Flacco confirmed he was not interested in leaving. Players can be poached from other teams’ P-squads, with the club that signs the player forced to keep him on the active roster for three weeks. But P-squad cogs can also decline such overtures, as Broncos P-squad QB Ben DiNucci did when the Saints extended an active-roster offer earlier this season.

Flacco seeking stability makes sense. After his Ravens run ended via a 2019 trade to the Broncos, he has been in a number of offensive systems. The Delaware alum left the Jets for the Eagles in 2021, but after Gardner Minshew became available in trades that summer, Philadelphia made Flacco expendable. When Flacco returned to the Jets via an in-season trade, a new OC — Mike LaFleur — was in charge. Flacco reached out about returning to the Jets, who had transitioned to Nathaniel Hackett as their play-caller, this year but did not generate interest from his former team. It is not known if the Jets, amid another run of QB struggles, reached out to Flacco while he was on the Browns’ taxi squad.

Since expressing interest in playing next season, Flacco has perhaps generated his most momentum since his Baltimore days. He is 2-1 as the Browns’ starter, piloting the team to wins despite a depleted offensive line. The Browns do not exactly have a top-tier QB situation right now, but the 9-5 team is on solid ground in a crowded AFC wild-card race thanks largely to Flacco.