The Cleveland Browns are going into the third week of training camp. This is where players start to separate themselves in camp battles and look to carve out roles for the upcoming season. At the same time, several players will be entering the last year of their deals.
Some guys will earn another contract with the Browns, but there will also be players who are playing their last season in Cleveland. And one of those players is QB Joe Flacco.
Browns QB Joe Flacco Is Playing His Last Season in Cleveland
Flacco returned to Cleveland on a one-year, $4.25 million deal that could increase to $13 million with incentives. He was brought in to be a veteran leader in a QB room that was searching for any type of direction and stability.
The Browns added Kenny Pickett, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel this offseason. While Pickett is nursing a hamstring injury, Sanders and Gabriel have taken advantage of the increased practice reps. There's a great chance that Flacco starts at QB in multiple games this season, but everyone knows he isn't the future at the position. Quite frankly, no one knows how much longer he's going to even play, considering he's 40 years old. For all we know, he could call it quits after the 2025 season.
Nonetheless, the Browns have a clear objective of finding a franchise quarterback. They are going to see what Sanders and Gabriel can bring to the table. If neither guy flashes enough, the Browns have two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL draft and could easily use one of those picks to draft a QB.
The addition of Flacco was all about adding a vet to the roster who knows the scheme and can start a couple of games if needed. He caught lightning in a bottle in five starts for the Browns during the 2023 season. He went 4-1 in those outings, while completing 60.3% of his passes for 1,616 passing yards and 13 passing touchdowns.
Although he was able to lead the Browns to the playoffs during that stretch, the odds of him doing that again are very low.
The Browns are using him as a stopgap this season to either start the year or to stabilize the offense if things go in a negative direction.
Regardless, he's going to be in Cleveland for 2025, but anything beyond that seems unlikely as the Browns will use any opportunity next offseason to land another franchise QB or build around guys like Sanders and Gabriel.