Free-agent quarterback Joe Flacco is returning to the Cleveland Browns after spending the 2024 season with the Indianapolis Colts.
Flacco’s agents told ESPN’s Adam Schefter their client has agreed to a one-year, $4 million deal with the Browns that can max out at $13 million.
The 40-year-old signed with the Colts last offseason on a one-year deal to back up Anthony Richardson. He was called into duty twice after a pair of injuries to the 2023 No. 4 overall pick (oblique injury, back spasms), who was also briefly benched for Flacco as well due to on-field struggles.
For the year, Flacco played eight games (six starts), completing 65.3 percent of his passes for 1,761 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
He was the Baltimore Ravens’ full-time starter for 10-plus years (2008-2018), leading the team to a Super Bowl to cap the 2012 season. Baltimore later benched him for eventual two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, who has been the team’s starter since roughly halfway through the 2018 campaign.
Flacco landed with the Denver Broncos in 2019 to be their starting quarterback, but he was benched after eight games.
He then left to become the New York Jets’ backup signal-caller for three seasons before being called up late in the 2023 campaign by the QB-needy Cleveland Browns.
Flacco then exploded over five games, guiding Cleveland to a 4-1 mark en route to the playoffs. He threw for 1,616 yards and 13 touchdowns (eight interceptions) and earned Comeback Player of the Year honors.
He remained productive with the Colts and mostly fared well when called upon. Now Flacco will play an 18th NFL season with the Browns, who are getting an experienced and successful backup easily capable of holding down the fort as he did for them two years ago.
The Browns have been mentioned as a potential destination for Shedeur Sanders and other top quarterbacks in the 2025 NFL draft class.
Signing Flacco doesn’t necessarily change anything about Cleveland’s approach in the draft. Kenny Pickett was the only healthy quarterback on the team’s roster prior to this deal.
Deshaun Watson remains under contract, but his status for 2025 is uncertain after re-injuring his Achilles in January. It’s also unclear if he will ever play for the Browns again after team owner Jimmy Haslam told reporters trading for the veteran quarterback was a “big swing-and-miss” for the organization.
If the Browns decide to bring in a rookie QB, they could turn to Flacco or Pickett as the starter at the beginning of the season if the coaching staff doesn’t feel a first-year player is ready to go.
If the rookie is given the starting job right out of the gate, Flacco’s familiarity with head coach Kevin Stefanski’s system gives the offense a floor if he gets called into action in 2025.
