News Report: Browns Race To Sign A QB To Replace QBJoe Flacco
The magic was there for Joe Flacco, but does it make sense financially?
Free agency is less than a month away, and the Cleveland Browns have 25 free agents who they have to make decisions on. Leading up to March 13, we will look at all of the team’s pending free agents by position, starting with quarterback, to gauge whether the Browns should re-sign them or not. With all of these free agent reviews, keep in mind that Cleveland is currently over the salary cap, but should also have some degree of flexibility with the restructuring of contracts.
All three quarterbacks were new to the Browns in 2023, but they each had different reigns and purposes. After not making the Chicago Bears’ roster out of training camp, the Browns signed Walker to their practice squad at the start of the regular season to be the team’s third quarterback behind Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, since Josh Dobbs had surprisingly been traded to the Arizona Cardinals.
Next up was Flacco, who signed to the Browns’ practice squad on November 20, 2023 after Watson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury against the Baltimore Ravens. Thompson-Robinson and Walker were going to be the Browns’ two quarterbacks, but then Flacco was called up to start after just one week with the team when Thompson-Robinson suffered a concussion against the Denver Broncos.
Driskel had the least-interesting story with how he joined the Browns: he signed on December 29, 2023, and ended up starting the Browns’ regular season finale since Cleveland was resting their starters. The surprise came when he was named the No. 2 quarterback heading into the postseason.
Walker played in six games with the Browns, officially making two starts. However, it feels like he really made three starts with a 2-1 record. Watson started the first three games of the season, but suffered an injury that made him a late scratch in Week 4 against the Ravens. Thompson-Robinson started that game and was not prepared; therefore, the following week against the 49ers, Walker was given the start.
Walker pulled off a 19-17 victory against San Francisco, going 18-of-34 for 192 yards and 2 interceptions. Watson returned the following week against the Colts, but almost immediately exited to injury again. Walker played the rest of the game, helping lead a wild 39-38 victory despite going 15-of-32 for 178 yards and 1 interception. Victory didn’t strike three times for Walker, though, as his three turnovers in a 24-20 loss to the Seahawks in Week 8 cost Cleveland the game. Despite his 2-1 record, Walker’s overall play was limited, and he was not given a chance to start the rest of the season.
After we learned that Watson’s season was done due to an injury suffered in Week 10 against the Ravens, the Browns gave Flacco a workout and signed him to the practice squad prior to the Week 12 game against the Broncos. When Thompson-Robinson suffered a concussion in that game, Flacco jumped Walker in Week 13 to start on the road against the Los Angeles Rams. While that game started well (an opening-drive touchdown), things unraveled late — but Flacco looked sharp enough to warrant another start. That’s when the magic started.
The 49ers’ need for another last second miracle deserves a deep rewind
It’s January 14th, 2012. We’re at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. With 14 seconds to play, down three, and facing a third down, the 49ers need a score to keep their playoff hopes alive – without needing to roll the dice in overtime. The Saints meanwhile can end this here with a takeaway and head to the NFC Championship Game themselves. To understand how we got here and to appreciate everything this moment represents, we need to rewind.