The Cleveland Browns haven't been uber-aggressive in free agency this offseason. After a disappointing 2024, fans were hoping the team would take big swings in free agency to improve the roster but that hasn't been the case.
They had limited cap space this offseason but that didn't stop them from bringing back a fan favorite to the quarterback room. On Friday morning, the Browns and QB Joe Flacco agreed to terms on a one-year, $4 million deal that is worth up to $13 million with incentives according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
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
Browns Re-Sign Joe Flacco
Flacco was on the Browns roster in 2023, where he stepped in as the starter in Week 13 and led them to a 4-1 record. He helped lead them to an 11-6 record and a postseason appearance. In those outings, he went 123-of-204 (60.3%) for 1,616 passing yards, 13 passing touchdowns, and eight interceptions. These numbers helped him earn the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year reward.
Instead of re-signing him during the 2024 offseason, they let him walk in free agency, where he signed a one-year, $8.7 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts to become the backup to Anthony Richardson.
The Browns added Jameis Winston but that didn't pan out for them. He went 2-5 as the starter and Cleveland finished as one of the worst teams in the league.
Cleveland knew they couldn't trust Deshaun Watson going into the 2024 campaign and decided to rely on him. That ended on a sour note, as he tore his Achilles in Week 7, leading to Winston taking over.
The Browns wanted to penny-pitch with their backups in 2024. Winston got $4.7 million from Cleveland, while Flacco got $8.7 million from the Colts. In hindsight, that was a bad move that the team regretted.
Thankfully one year later they realized their mistake and decided to bring back Flacco to the Dawg Pound. This gives them flexibility going into the NFL Draft while Watson rehabs from his torn Achilles.