Joe Flacco is set to hit free agency next week, but he and the Cleveland Browns may be close to a deal.
According to Pro Football Talk, league source Mike Florio says that Flacco would prefer a reunion with the Browns, even if he has to settle for a backup role.
Florio adds that Flacco loves everything about playing in Cleveland and that his agent met with Browns brass NFL Scouting Combine last week.
Flacco was previously reported to be in the running for the starting job, so it’s entirely possible his representatives weighed the market and said it could be tough. he’ll find that spot this offseason.
Flacco is 39 years old, and despite how well he played in his five games in Cleveland last regular season, he showed his chops in the playoffs, throwing a pair of pick-sixes that ended with the Wild With Card loss against the Houston Texans.
Flacco joined the Browns’ practice squad in late November and was forced to start in December injuries and a weak quarterback.
He went 4-1 in five regular-season starts. He threw for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 60.3 percent of his passes and posting a 90.2 passer rating.
It was enough for Flacco to earn Comeback Player of the Year honors. Flacco hasn’t been a regular starter since the first half of 2018, when he was under center for the Baltimore Ravens before losing the job to Lamar Jackson a game season.
He then spent a year with the Denver Broncos and three seasons with the New York Jets before being out of the league for most of 2023.
Then he came to the Browns and resurrected his career. Maybe the best thing for Joe Flacco would be to stay in Cleveland as Deshaun Watson’s backup, especially if things go south between the Browns and Watson..