DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Browns Sign QB Joe Flacco

If we go deep into the playoffs winning at least one game, Flacco should be on the roster for camp, imo. If he gets us to the SB, he’ll be a Cleveland Browns legend, and should definitely have a camp spot. He can ride pine behind the younger guys for a year or two and I’d be fine with that.

*per game IF he wins, is what that says. Does he get paid if he loses?

In hindsight, if we had traded baker, signed Flacco and not traded for Watson just 20
Months ago...

Well said, and it's just hard to find a QB that can do that anymore.

That's a great clip, and shows what kind of leader we have in Joe.

I hate to be negavite on Watson, he already gets enough. But this is just something we've never seen from him.

He's likely making the league minimum...THEN...add in the incentives for wins and playoff games.

Hell, I think Flacco could still teach a lot to Watson, let alone DTR.

I honestly don't think it matters what Flacco is making.. He's doing a damn fine job for us through two games. I suspect he'll continue. At this point, if his body holds up, I'd love to have him over Watson next year. He's a better QB and a better person and Leader.

I agree!

His salary is something he gets regardless of outcome. Bonuses can be contingent upon the result.

I pointed out this irony when we first signed him. We have a QB now that we can win it all with if he just takes care of the ball and we're getting it for league minimum while the savior we gave up the farm for sits sidelined.

With the way this roster was built, we never, ever needed "elite". We just needed stable, controlled QB play that moves the ball and doesn't score for the other team.
We gave up a ransom in draft picks and a quarter BILLION dollars for the QB that we "needed" to get us to the Super Bowl and in the end, we're capable of getting there right now with a veteran QB earning league minimum; and for anyone that wants to doubt or poo-poo that, we currently have the best record in the league against teams above .500 and we've beaten every playoff contending team in the AFC that has been on our schedule. THAT is good enough to get to a Super Bowl. Those 1st round draft picks could have been some nice depth on the DLine, or perhaps the OLine.


**Interesting note: most of the AFC is above .500, while most of the NFC is below .500

Flacco did say he attributes some of this success to being fresh and able to play at this point of the season without having 3 months of wear and tear on his body. Who knows what shape he'd be in if he started from week one.

Can you imagine what would have happened on these forums if we released Baker and signed Joe to be our QB going forward? WW3 😂

I'm not so sure. A lot of the watson debate was about his baggage and the price tag involved. I'm sure there would still be a QB controversy simply because that's the nature of the beast. But after two seasons of actually playing I think the questions would be answered when it comes to Flacco. When you have seen only 9 games played by watson, and most of them bad, questions still linger. I for one understand that watson has a better skill set than Baker ever had, but translating that onto the field on a regular basis hasn't happened yet.

You bring up a very valid and interesting point. I've never been one to advocate that Flacco be the starter in Cleveland but a very valuable backup. Considering the points you made in your post it only solidifies that opinion for me.

What Pit ! with all do respect, well maybe a little LOL

You were asking the question a bit about who would be the better QB to start

As the Browns were moving in the direction of making the play-offs

DTR or the vetern Flacco

So I know in some way I'll catch some kind of hell for this

But ! wasn't you kind of advocating Flacco ?

Oh boy ! I'm in trouble now

I agree he is a better person....Qb probably not Leader??

His age just doesn't make it realistic to keep him after this season, at least in a starting capacity.

First, let me make it clear that Flacco has been phenomenal for the Browns these last two games. I'm pretty sure that no one expected this level of play when he was signed. Though his numbers are far from fantastic, they are an improvement over what we've seen from PJ and DTR. With a two game QBR of 41.5 and completion pct of 55.1, it ranks him about 24th in the league but getting a crucial win against a good Jacksonville team carries more weight than his overall QBR.

Watson - QBR = 43.7, completion % = 61.4, Record = 4-1
Flacco - QBR = 41.5, Completion % = 55.1, Record = 1-1
DTR - QBR = 32.2, completion % = 53.2, Record = 1-2
PJ Walker - QBR = 19.9, completion % = 48.6, Record = 2-1 (credited with Indy win)

I think this talk about signing Flacco for next year and even being a contender for the starting job is a little on the crazy side. Realistically, there was a reason why Flacco was sitting at home having been signed by no one this season. There's a reason why Flacco started only 9 games the previous 3 years while with the Jets. Sporting numbers like a 43.2 QBR, 57.5 comp %, and a 1-8 Record the last 3-years at age 39 starting next year doesn't scream franchise QB. Note: Neither does Watson's numbers over his 12 starts for the Browns, 43.5 QBR, 59.8 comp %, 7-4 Record. The clear difference is the upside of Watson at age 29 next season compared to the surely regression of a Flacco at age 39 going forward.

I, along with most Browns fans, am seriously hoping that Flacco can keep up the pace over these next 4-games. The concern of course, is we might have seen the best Flacco has to offer so far. With the mounting injuries on both sides of the ball, will Flacco regress to the player he's been the last 3-years? Being cautiously optimistic, I'm hoping that Flacco can carry this team these final 4 games but wouldn't be surprised if he regressed to a demonstrated level of play as documented these last 3-years. Asking a 38-year-old journeyman veteran to continue to over perform over a 6 plus game stretch is a big ask, especially with the mounting injuries. Keep it going Joe!

You're not in trouble. lol

I certainly was and am promoting Flacco be the starter. But it wasn't nor is it for the entire season. What I meant, and you are correct that I certainly wasn't clear, is that as the back-up, between DTR and Flacco I think it's very clear which of the two is the best QB at this point in their respective careers. The team was and is in the payoff hunt and I didn't think it was wise to start DTR in the role when watson couldn't play.

I don't think you would want Flacco to be the named starter going into the season next year. He will be 39 next season and a 17 game schedule would be grueling on him. The situation was that the Browns were and are in playoff contention and they were entering the 12th game on the schedule. That left 6 games to go on the schedule. At that juncture I thought Flacco would give the Browns the best chance to make the playoffs and still do over any other QB that was on the roster at that time. Coming in as the starter from the backup role is what I was advocating for.

Can Joe Flacco get his completion percentage up? They may have to line up, or benefit from lining up under center and run play action, to keep the defense looking for the run, so they can open up receivers in the passing game.


Can Joe Flacco, reduce the number of times his passes go incomplete or ehh,get his completion percentage up.

. Watson's year is done, the Browns year is not yet done, so we can talk about Watson later.

You’re selling but I am not ready to buy. Flacco is what he is, but I don’t think Watson had a 300 yard game with 3 TD’s. There in lies the challenge for Watson. Grandpa Joe passes the eye test for a QB who will make under 400 k for the year versus the 2.5 million per game that is roughly Watsons cost. Toss in the lost draft choices and that’s a hard pill to swallow.

55.1% is Horrible.

Well, when all some people do is look at a stat sheet........

I could be mistake, but doesn't Dunn have experience at OT? I'd be good with Bitonio, Teller, Pocic, Christian, and Dunn

Flacco is doing great and the coaches are squeezing the last little bit of talent out of him.

Next year, Watson will be back and better than he was in previous years.

He better be. That dude has squeezed every last drop out of the "rusty" excuse and after 3 weeks of Flacco I don't think that's going to fly anymore.

Amen. Mic drop.

Watson was never a polished passer or a good reader of Ds. He's a backyard football player that can sometimes make some spectacular plays with his arms or legs. He was also known as being a good leader and a crunch time player. He will never look like Flacco, a polished pocket passer.

Watson and Stefanski were a strange marriage from the beginning. I think Berry liked him coming out and probably didn't agree with the Browns passing on him. Then you add his now mythical season, and I think Berry and Stefanski got excited about the possibilities and probably talked themselves into believing he could thrive with Stefanski's offense with a few tweaks here and there and throwing in some packaged run plays.

I expect Watson to look exactly like he looked this year next year. It's just who he is as a QB. He will not look like Flacco. What he really needs to clean up is the gimme throws. Can't have 5 yard passes thrown into the ground or sailing two feet to the left or right of receivers. If he can just fix that, the Browns and Stefanski can probably make it work with him. For some strange reason, I really think the team believes in Watson and play hard for him believing he can get the job done.

ANDREW BERRY is the GOAT.

I think the DW trade was mostly, Haslam. It’s too bad too , Baker is balling out. And even Flacco, as old as he is, is playing leaps and bounds better than anything we’ve seen from any QB in the DW era.

I think Flacco fits what KS is comfortable with much more than Watson. KS likes the more fundamental/cerebral QB who can read and anticipate. DW is more of a wildcard.

I didn't mean to start rehashing the Watson debate in the Flacco thread. My response was more along the lines of the length it took Watson to start looking good. It was far too long and he got way too much slack, IMO. I was watching games and clips of practices and couldn't help but keep asking myself "what has he been doing all this time".

Flacco comes in and (while certainly not pretty) does just enough to win games. While frustrating, it's also an interesting comparison.

I’m not writing DW off as a bust for us yet, but if he doesn’t come out balling next year, and looks like an average of what we’ve seen so far, he will be a bust to me. But I do hope we keep Flacco on the roster just in case.

how are you going to call a QB that went 5-1 a bust...

this I believe is accurate, I think KS would prefer a pure QB that can run PA and get the ball down the field. Someone that can play from under center successfully. Maybe a little mobility to do designed rollouts.. Watson needs the shotgun to be successful which reduces the effect of PA, For what we gave up, (not going to be popular) but Baker and the draft picks are probably still a better value than watson given how baker has played this year.

Did you watch those games? I saw DW look elite in one game with flashes in a couple of others. I did not see a Franchise QB. I did not see sustained consistant good play. That’s how…

And I despise DW the person, the one that thinks he did nothing wrong with all those women… So unless he’s bringing consistent winning to the team, he’s easy to not want. Straight trash.