Quarterback Joe Flacco is set for an exciting return to the Cleveland Browns, entering his second stint with the franchise. After stepping in as a backup to Deshaun Watson last season, Flacco has inked a one-year deal valued at $4 million, demonstrating that his experience is still in demand. With Watson focused on his rehabilitation, Flacco finds himself in an intriguing competition for the starting QB position. He’s up against Kenny Pickett and promising rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, making for a dynamic and challenging environment in training camp.
After Wednesday’s practice, Flacco took some time to share his thoughts with the media regarding the level of intensity at organized team activities (OTAs). He made an interesting observation about the challenges rookies face today compared to when he entered the league. “When it got easier in like… 2011, everybody that was playing at that point had been grouped two days at some point in their life. Guys that are coming in the NFL now have never done it,” Flacco noted, highlighting a shift in how the game is approached by newcomers.
Flacco compared the current environment to his earlier years, pointing out that the current one-hour and fifteen-minute OTAs might feel strenuous for rookies who are not accustomed to the grind. “We’re out here for an hour and 15 minutes and guys think it’s hard. You know, our OTAs were like over two hours,” he recalled, underscoring the evolution of training demands as well as the learning curve for new players in the league.
Last season, Flacco had a stint with the Indianapolis Colts, where he played in eight games and threw for 1,761 yards and 12 touchdowns. Now, as he approaches his 18th season, he is focused on regaining his rhythm and contributing meaningfully to the Browns this offseason. “For me, it’s about going out there to get my feel back and getting the ball off my hand well,” Flacco said. He feels confident in his mechanics and is optimistic about the progression he’s making. “I feel like I’m getting through things and spinning it well, and the other things will come.”
Despite his wealth of experience, Flacco expressed that mentoring the younger quarterbacks is not his primary goal. While the expectation might be for him to guide players like Sanders and Gabriel, he emphasized that his focus remains on his own performance. “It’s a good question to bait somebody into answering, and no matter how they answer it, it kind of makes the guy that’s answering look bad,” he remarked. His approach to mentorship seems rooted in leading by example: “The best way to mentor, honestly, is to show people how you got to work and hope they pick up on that stuff, but not necessarily pick up on the things that you do.”
As the Browns gear up for their 2025 season opener against the Bengals in September, the decision of whether to lean on the seasoned Flacco or to invest in the youth of their recent draft picks will be a fascinating storyline to follow. The coming weeks will reveal how this competition unfolds and just how much Flacco still has left in the tank. Whether he secures the starting role or takes on a supporting position, one thing is clear: Flacco is ready to contribute in whatever way he can.
