Joe Flacco’s strong admission after signing back to the AFC North might point to him being mad at a team like the Cleveland Browns
The former Browns’ starting quarterback was very straightforward about how he feels following signing back with the Cincinatti Bengals.
The Cleveland Browns have gone about free agency working around the biggest hole on the roster: the starting quarterback. Cleveland doesn’t have a starting quarterback until they do, and they haven’t since Baker Mayfield was in town, which even he couldn’t become the long-term answer.
Cleveland has Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel as the quarterbacks on the roster. Watson and Sanders are expected to be in the running to start for new head coach Todd Monken. The Browns remain handicapped by the Watson contract for one more season, and with him now healthy it makes sense to give him another chance at being the starter while he’s still in town.
Last year it was Joe Flacco, Sanders, and Gabriel handling the starter duties for the Browns. Cleveland moved off of Flacco as a starter after four games last season and shipped him to the Cincinnati Bengals. Once Joe Burrow returned from injury, Flacco was placed back on the bench. The former Browns QB hoped to land in a place to get a chance to start this offseason, but it didn’t happen.
Joe Flacco isn’t happy with how NFL free agency worked out for him
Flacco signed a one-year deal with the Bengals worth $6 million with a max of $9 million on the table. Still, Flacco hoped he would be given a chance to start again after throwing 13 touchdowns to just four interceptions last year with the Bengals.
“That’s part of why I’m still here and playing and doing all those things and not being one of those guys to go sign somewhere,” Flacco stated on Wednesday regarding not getting the chance to start. “It pisses me off a little bit, but at the same time, I’m happy to be here, and that’s also why I don’t see this as the end. That’s just not how I’m viewing it in my mind, like I feel like I can help a team win. Yeah, it may be in a different role here, but I do still think I can help this team win in that role.”
There weren’t many options out there for teams needing a starting QB. The New York Jets brought in Geno Smith, the Miami Dolphins signed Malik Willis, the Minnesota Vikings added Kyler Murray, and Tua Tagovailoa ended up with the Atlanta Falcons. Cleveland remains a team that could use more starting quarterback competition, but it didn’t really make sense with where they are and how last year went with him on the team.
Still, they’re a team falling under the umbrella Flacco is likely talking about.
“I had a lot of fun with Joe, and Joe’s the guy. And believe me, I wish I was a guy somewhere, and I think teams are dumb for not having me be that guy. It is what it is, and I’m not going to let them or it get me down. I’m going to be the person I am and just approach football the way I always have.”
Flacco has played 18 seasons in the NFL already, but hasn’t started a full season since 2017. Still, it’s an impressive mark to make it so long in the league. Flacco still wanting to be a starter shows the competitive nature he operates with, and truly why he’s been able to stick around the NFL for so long.
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