All eyes are on Joe Flacco as the NFL free agency period begins on March 13.
The 39-year-old quarterback is set to hit the open market after joining the Cleveland Browns on a one-year deal in December. Flacco instantly became a local hero in Cleveland, leading the Browns to a 4-1 record and their first postseason berth since 2020. Naturally, the fanbase is wondering if the veteran is willing to bring it back in 2024.
There has been a lot of discussion about whether Flacco will stay or go this season. Fortunately, the former Super Bowl MVP decided to clear the air on Wednesday.
Spoiler alert: Browns fans are going to love this.
Flacco back on Sirius XM NFL Radio on Wednesday to discuss his free agency future. The 2023 running back didn't beat around the bush, saying that “Cleveland is definitely where I would feel best about” in terms of potential destinations, according to NFL Insider Dove Kleiman.
QB Joe Flacco says it's back to #Browns is his top choice, via Sirius XM NFL
“All things being equal, Cleveland is definitely the place I would feel best about.” https://t.co/yxTCOSoWzy pic.twitter.com/1ruSyppXF8
– Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 6, 2024
Flacco went on to discuss how “special” the city is to him and his family, further fanning the flames regarding a potential re-signing.
“Cleveland is an incredible place, and it will be especially valuable when I make those decisions.”
– Joe Flacco
It's no secret that the Browns could use a reliable backup QB like Flacco behind Deshaun Watson on the depth chart. Cleveland struggled to win games with P.J. Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center until the Voorhees, New Jersey, native made his debut in December.
With the Browns' season looking lost, Flacco was instrumental in turning things around. He led the team to a 4-1 record across five regular season starts, averaging 323.2 yards per game while throwing 13 touchdowns to six interceptions. Cleveland didn't make a deep playoff run, but the season could have ended much worse if not for his efforts.
Time will tell if the special place Cleveland holds in Flacco's heart is enough to convince him to re-sign. crook It lists the Browns as having just over $2.4 million in cap space, which should be enough to bring him back if they are open to a team-friendly deal. Of course, general manager Andrew Berry can always restructure contracts and cut players to create more cap space.
Whether Flacco stays or leaves, Browns fans will never forget what he did last season. Hopefully he's ready to make more memories in Cleveland on one final trip.
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