Browns & Joe Flacco: Cleveland Signs Potential Starting QB (Again)
It’s official - the man who won NFL Comeback Player of the Year with the Cleveland Browns is making his comeback to Cleveland. Joe Flacco signs a one year, $4 million deal that could have incentives up to $13 million if he plays and plays well.
With the Browns QB room consisting of Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco, that doesn’t necessarily mean the Browns won’t draft a rookie like Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, or Jaxson Dart. But it means that they don’t necessarily have to either.
It felt like a lot more due to his strong presence that year, but Flacco actually only played six games for the Browns in 2023. After losing his first game to the Rams, Flacco rattled off four straight wins, hooking the Browns up with a playoff berth.
They lost in the Wildcard round to the Houston Texans but it was the most success the Browns organization has had in years. Deshaun Watson seems hopeful about his comeback, but many have already lost faith there.
Now that Joe Flacco is back in Cleveland, let’s take a quick look at what the fantasy football implications might be if Flacco gets the starting job. Spoiler Alert: it would be a good thing for his weapons.
Joe Flacco Stats & Numbers
There is one key word with Joe Flacco stats that leads to fantasy football results: volume. Some quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers like to slow the game down by using the full play clock and lowering the pace of play. Not Flacco.
In his four games with the Jets in 2022 they averaged ~69 offensive snaps per game which would have been good for first in the league. In 2023 with the Browns they averaged ~69 snaps per game - also good for first that year. I wish I could tell you that he averaged 69 snaps per game in 2024 with the Colts as well but it was ~65 - still good for top five in the league. You get the point there.
At this stage in his career, Joe Flacco has very little interest in scrambling or rushing. Last season, his 2.62 second average time to throw per Pro Football Focus tied Matthew Stafford for 5th among qualified QBs and was right there with other pocket passers like Kirk Cousins and Andy Dalton. That’s a key.
Browns & Joe Flacco Weapons: David Njoku, Jerry Jeudy, Cedric Tillman
Tight end David Njoku is the big winner here. This tweet sums up why Flacco was so good for David Njoku during his brief stint there:
Now, I know we can’t just take a six-game sample size and project it out to a full season. But the fact that it would translate to a 300+ point PPR season is fairly exciting. That’s something that has only happened in the NFL five times for a tight end. EVER. Flacco gets the ball out quick and David Njoku runs the perfect routes for it.
Jerry Jeudy was not with the Cleveland Browns in 2023. And Cedric Tillman was a rookie who didn’t find the field much. But Amari Cooper (who missed one game during the stretch) averaged nearly ~23 PPR points per game with Flacco.
The only WR that averaged higher than that on the season was CeeDee Lamb and the only other wide receivers putting up more than 20 PPR points per game were Tyreek Hill and Amon-Ra St. Brown.
Again, we only have a small sample size over the last three years with three different teams to work with. But, over that span, we know that Flacco runs a high tempo offense with a lot of short, quick passes.
That’s almost certainly good news for David Njoku and Jerry Jeudy. Cedric Tillman runs high aDot routes so he might not directly benefit as much but the veteran presence of Joe Flacco as the Browns starting QB has to be an upgrade for Cedric Tillman or a rookie.
How Does The Flacco Signing Impact Browns RBs?
It’s not always easy to quantify the impact of a quarterback change on the running game. But we do know two things based on experience. Pocket passers are often better for running back fantasy points. And running is the luxury of the winning team.
Mobile QBs, especially those that use the RPO, can help with running back rushing efficiency numbers. But, for fantasy purposes, we also know that they target the running back less in the passing game and can vulture touchdowns.
That’s been statistically proven by analyst Andrew Erickson in this great article. Flacco with his quick release and short time to throw should be great for receiving production.
The other aspect really depends on how well the team does as a whole. But as we saw with teams like the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles and 2023 San Francisco 49ers, winning simply gives you more opportunity to hand the ball off and control the game - especially towards the end.
Whether Jerome Ford, a rookie like Ashton Jeanty, or a potentially returning Nick Chubb is the starter, you have to be happy with Joe Flacco over Kenny Pickett.
Browns QB Room: Deshaun Watson Future
Deshaun Watson took to social media to make sure that folks know he’s working hard on his own comeback story. After suffering a setback by retearing his Achilles tendon, he’s almost certainly set to miss the 2025 season.
That said, the additions to the Browns QB room of both Kenny Pickett and Joe Flacco do make it a little less likely that Cleveland goes in on a rookie quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft. And that could keep the hope alive for Watson to be the Browns starting QB in 2026, when he will be 30 years old.
Player News
Bills waived TE Armani Rogers.
This is unfortunate. Rogers recently ruptured his Achilles tendon for the second time in three years. He showed promise as a 2022 rookie, earning a 65.3 PFF receiving grade and a 68.0 PFF run-blocking grade, but the injuries are taking their toll. The Bills also released DT Branson Deen.
Titans waived OT Nicholas Petit-Frere.
The team signed C Sam Mustipher and OT Oli Udoh in corresponding moves. Petit-Frere failed to meet expectations after the Titans spent a third-round pick on him in 2022, allowing 35-plus quarterback pressures in 2-of-3 NFL seasons.
Cowboys signed OL Hakeem Adeniji, formerly of the Browns, to a contract.
The former 2020 sixth-round pick last took regular season snaps in 2022. Adeniji spent the 2023 season serving as a part-time special teams player, and although he was technically on the Browns’ 2024 roster, he missed the full season on injured reserve. Adeniji will likely handle a deep-backup/special teams role in Dallas this year.
Free agent QB Aaron Rodgers said on The Pat McAfee Show that he is currently focusing on matters in his personal life while mulling his future in the NFL.
In a wide-ranging discussion with McAfee, Rodgers said that he is still contemplating whether to play in 2025 or retire this offseason, though he has settled on a $10 million asking price, should he choose to stick around. Rodgers repeatedly, yet ambiguously, emphasized that caring for troubled members of his “inner circle” has been his offseason priority. Rodgers spoke positively of his recent visit with the Steelers, praising head coach Mike Tomlin, OC Arthur Smith, GM Omar Khan, QB coach Tom Arth and WR DK Metcalf, whom he called “a specimen” and a “great dude.” Rodgers downplayed reports about pitching Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell on a union, saying much ado has been made about two old “friends” remaining in regular contact. The free agent QB also notably complimented Giants head coach Brian Daboll’s “beautiful football mind” but kept Giants-talk relatively succinct. Rodgers made clear that the rapidly approaching 2025 NFL Draft will have no bearing on his decision-making timeline, and he understands if the Steelers determine that they must move on without him. In short, it appears as though Rodgers will either sign with the Steelers or move on from football. The enigmatic quarterback gave few indications as to which direction he is leaning.
FOX NFL’s Jordan Schultz reports “interested teams believe Philadelphia would be open to future picks” for TE Dallas Goedert.
Goedert has become a popular trade candidate in the rumor mill. He is on the final year of his current contract and is undoubtedly looking for a new deal. The Eagles, on the other hand, haven’t made much noise about extending him and have generally tried to get out ahead of new contracts in recent years. The timing of this report suggests the Eagles are still trying to field offers for Goedert and the price may be dropping.
Browns GM Andrew Berry said Alabama QB Jalen Milroe has “rare physical talent.”
Berry continued with his praise of Milroe’s physical traits, saying he is maybe the only quarterback faster than Lamar Jackson. Milroe ran for 729 yards and a jaw-dropping 20 touchdowns in his final season at Alabama. Though the Browns don’t appear to be taking a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick, they are up again at No. 33 and could even package that selection with another pick to get back into the first round. The Browns have held visits with all of the major quarterback prospects, including Milroe. They currently have Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett on the roster, neither of whom is a long-term option.