Reunion: the Cleveland Browns and veteran quarterback Joe Flacco reached agreement today on a one-year, $4 million deal worth up to $13 million with incentives, his agency @JLSports3 told ESPN. Flacco now will return to Cleveland, where he won the NFL’s Comeback Player of the… pic.twitter.com/pOaCuhrVmS
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 11, 2025
Schefter notes the contract has a base value of $4 million, worth up to $13 million with incentives.
Flacco was last seen making six starts for the Indianapolis Colts last season, winning two games. He arguably outplayed Anthony Richardson, the fourth-overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, besting the second-year quarterback in passing yards per game (220.1 to 164.9), passer rating (90.5 to 61.6), and net yards per passing attempt (6.16 to 6.11).
However, Flacco's previous stint with the Browns probably landed him this deal. In 2023, Flacco won four of five regular-season starts while passing for a career-high 323.2 yards per game. He also started the Browns' only playoff game since the 2020 postseason.
Flacco has a realistic chance to start more meaningful games for the Browns. Deshaun Watson is recovering from a second Achilles tear and has potentially played his last down for the team. The Browns also acquired Kenny Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a fifth-round pick, but Flacco remains a more effective (not to mention more accomplished) passer.
The fact that the Browns now roster Flacco and Pickett also may be a hint at their draft day plans. With two credible veterans now in play, the Browns haven't exactly cleared the path for a rookie to start in 2025, which means they probably aren't interested in adding a quarterback at the top of the draft. The Browns currently hold the second overall pick.
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