Joe Flacco, the quarterback for the Browns, is “almost definitely” expected to leave. This is what Zac Jackson of The Athletic claims. If Flacco does decide to leave Cleveland, the Browns would have made a grave error.
First, let’s get something clear. Flacco and Deshaun Watson are not superior. At the very least, it is impossible to say with certainty right now. However, there is some truth to the statement that Watson and the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year differed in terms of overall effectiveness the previous season. With Watson, Cleveland’s passing game was a complete bust, and things only got worse when they had to use Dorian Thompson-Robinson and PJ Walker. Before Flacco arrived, the Browns’ passing game was nonexistent, so he was able to give it a much-needed boost.
Was Flacco flawless? No. He was, in actuality, far from it. In the postseason, Flacco threw 10 interceptions. He was also a major factor in the Browns’ humiliation in Houston during the Wild Card round. Still, Flacco’s performance was among the best spurts of quarterback play Cleveland has seen in a long time. Even though the standard is not extremely high, it is still remarkable. Especially when you consider Watson’s generally subpar play and the inconsistent career of the late Baker Mayfield.
It all boils down to having a capable backup in case something goes wrong. Last season, Cleveland was obviously in need of that option, and it eventually paid off when Flacco was signed. They cannot afford to make the enormous error of repeating their previous course of conduct.
