CLEVELAND, Ohio — Joe Flacco is back in Cleveland, but the timing has sparked a bittersweet conversation among Browns insiders. The podcast hosts didn’t mince words when addressing what many fans are thinking: this reunion should have happened a year earlier.
“Why didn’t the Browns, like this is a year too late. Why didn’t the Browns do this last year?” Dan Labbe questioned during the Orange and Brown Talk podcast. “And I think we all sort of know the answer to that. We know what it would have been like in that stadium when Deshaun Watson struggled with Joe Flacco on the sideline.”
The timing isn’t coincidental. Coming after Jimmy Haslam’s public admission that Watson was “a big swing and a miss,” the Flacco signing feels like an attempt to rebuild goodwill with a frustrated fan base. As Mary Kay Cabot pointed out, “The Browns need all the goodwill that they can get heading into this season. … Sometimes you do have to give the fans what they want because they are your paying customers.”
But why did the Browns pass on Flacco last offseason after his magical five-game run that saved their 2023 season? The answer reveals much about the organization’s all-in approach with Watson.
“When I look back to last year, what I see is a football team that was all in on Deshaun Watson to the point where they completely overhauled their whole entire offense to accommodate him and to help maximize his skill set,” Cabot explained. The decision to sign Jameis Winston instead of Flacco went deeper than just football considerations.
Cabot continued, “If you’re going to be all in on him from an on-the-field standpoint, certainly you’re going to do whatever you possibly can in that quarterback room to make sure that he’s comfortable, that he is supported, and that that room is a sanctuary for him.”
The Jameis Winston signing prioritized Watson’s comfort — creating a supportive quarterback room with a friend and confidant rather than bringing back a fan favorite who might have drawn louder cheers than the starter. The organization’s commitment to Watson extended beyond scheme changes to managing the psychological dynamics of the quarterback room.
While the hosts acknowledged the excitement surrounding Flacco’s return, they also urged restraint. The “magical” 2023 run benefited from facing quarterbacks like Trevor Siemian, Case Keenum, and an injured Trevor Lawrence.
“I understand why fans are excited. I’m happy for them that they are excited,” Ashley Bastock said. “But I would caution again, the wackoness, keep it down just a little bit.”
The $4 million deal (with incentives up to $13 million) represents more than just a quarterback signing — it’s an olive branch to fans, a recognition of past mistakes, and perhaps a signal that the organization is willing to pivot from their Watson commitment.
But will Flacco’s presence change the team’s draft strategy? Will he compete with Kenny Pickett for the starting job? Can he recapture the magic of 2022? The podcast revealed that while Flacco’s return answers one question, it raises many more about both the Browns’ past decisions and future direction.
For fans still celebrating “Flacco is backo,” the hosts delivered a message of tempered expectations: enjoy the moment, but don’t book Super Bowl tickets just yet.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
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