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Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco is heading to the Indianapolis Colts after helping the Cleveland Browns reach the playoffs and winning the AP Comeback Player of the Year Award.
Flacco and the Colts agreed on a one-year deal for $4.5 million guaranteed, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract hasn’t been finalized. Flacco’s deal is worth up to $8.7 million with incentives.
Flacco, a former Super Bowl MVP with the Baltimore Ravens, was home in New Jersey with his family when Cleveland called him in November. He went 4-1 in five starts and passed for more than 300 yards in four straight games with 13 touchdown passes. He wanted to stay in Cleveland to back up Deshaun Watson but the Browns didn’t make him an offer, agent Joe Linta told the AP.
Instead, the Browns are bringing in Jameis Winston to serve as Watson’s backup.
Flacco turned down an offer from the Philadelphia Eagles to join the Colts. The Saints also had interest in the veteran quarterback.
He’ll help mentor Anthony Richardson with Indianapolis, which saw veteran backup Gardner Minshew go to Las Vegas as a free agent.
Richardson, the No. 4 overall pick in last year’s draft, was 2-2 with the Colts before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury. Indianapolis went 7-6 with Minshew.
Flacco has thrown for 43,936 yards, 245 touchdowns and 155 interceptions in his 16-season NFL career.
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Great pick up for the Colts. Lots of respect by the Browns fans and Cleveland.
So Joe Flacco has played for …
The expansion Cleveland Browns, who replaced …
The Ravens, who’d moved to Baltimore from Cleveland …
To replace the Colts, who’d moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis.
To top it all off, it’s only your imagination that Flacco is old enough to have played for the Baltimore Colts.
Let’s hope the O-line (and Richardson) can keep Richardson healthy this year.
I’d rather not have to find out (again) how well our backup QB can play in the Colts system.
Chris B. True that!