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

The backup QB is always the most popular player of the fans.

No one knows what he looks like on the field.

There was a very noticeable difference between DTR and Walker. DTR looked like an NFL QB; Walker did not.

I agree. DTR led a couple really nice drives. His next step is learning how to finish these drives in the red zone.

Do not disagree here comparing the two. But DTR still needs plenty of seasoning. Not sure we have time for that with the remaining games for a playoffs push.

That said, I think DTR not being cleared yet paves the way for Flacco to start. After this week, I think we'll get a sense of who we're are going to stick with to ride out the season and not look back--- Flacco or DTR (if both are healthy).

and threw 3 picks in that game, LOL, if I recall.

So did Tyler Huntley and Andy Dalton... it isn't exactly an endorsement, but more a case of "everybody that earned it declined to attend".

haha honestly this might be correct

Added to GameDay Thread

Only 1.


YDS ATT CMPSK/YDS INT RT
D.Anderson 103 26 10 2/11 1 34.6

He also cost us a playoff spot with a dreadful game at Cinci, in a clinching game.

He's going to come with a raft of other issues that are different than PJ and DTR - mobility being the single biggest and obvious challenge/difference. But in terms of experience, not being over whelmed, not panicking - there should be a huge increase in competency. All we can do is hope he and the result isn't worse than PJ because I don't feel we have any chance with PJ. And even if DTR is healthy - I'd certainly look to see if Joe can still manage a game ok. I think defences are more likely to respect deeper pass attempts with JF than either other option. And by deeper passes I mean defenses won't be keying all game on 8 yards and under.

Flacco avoids getting sacks by getting the ball out quick

The receivers need to get downfield and open fast

Or you may just be seeing more of those 8 yard and shorter passes

Isn't the "getting the ball out quick" thing largely erased by only having a couple week in the offense and getting limited time with your receivers?

That all depends on how quickly he adapts. Having been in different systems one would hope he has a quick response. I mean I doubt the Browns run any plays he hasn't ran in other O's. If anything a few of them may be slightly different and the verbiage is different.

A player in the concusson protocol cannot practice. I don't know if that includes working on the side or not, though.

I have no idea if this is some sign of things to come but the timing of it I do find a bit curious......

Alex Van Pelt feels 'a lot left in that tank' with Joe Flacco if Browns need QB to start

LOS ANGELES — Joe Flacco came to Cleveland some 10 days ago believing he still had enough left in his tank to help a NFL team — specifically, in this case, the Browns — win football games. Offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt doesn't disagree with that assessment.

"I think he's very self-aware and I think he's correct," Van Pelt said on a Zoom call Thursday. "Yeah, I think there's still a lot left in that tank. Again, yesterday would solidify that for me. Just watching him get the accuracy and the philosophy, the footwork and everything that he showed yesterday."

Flacco is potentially going to get his chance this Sunday when the Browns play a critical game to their playoff hopes against the Los Angeles Rams. The chance depends on whether or not rookie starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson is cleared from the concussion protocol, which he's been in since being knocked out of this past Sunday's loss at the Denver Broncos.

Whether or not that happens is likely to last until the weekend. Thompson-Robinson was not a practice participant on Wednesday, the first day of preparations for the Browns at his college alma mater, UCLA.

Van Pelt, who spoke nearly two hours before the Browns' Thursday practice, wasn't clear where the fifth-round pick was in terms of progressing through the protocol.

"I'm not sure right now," Van Pelt said. "I know he had some testing this morning, still going through the process of the protocol. I'm not exactly sure that stands this morning. I know he did some testing earlier in the day."

While the rookie was an observer Wednesday, the 38-year-old veteran Flacco was the one getting the starter's reps throughout practice. That didn't just give the 16-year pro who is still technically on the practice squad a chance to finally get significant work in with the Browns' No. 1 offensive group.

That gave Van Pelt a chance to really assess what Flacco can bring to the Browns whenever he is called upon.

"It was very impressive," Van Pelt said. "Again, he's a guy that's done it before. His size and stature, he demands attention in the huddle. His play calling is clear and crisp, and I think the guys appreciated that."

What both offensive coordinator and quarterback appreciated was the ability to get on the field and do some legitimate preparation work. Flacco may be a veteran, but again, he's been with the Browns for a week-and-a-half after not being with any team since the end of last season.

That experience that Flacco brings to the game built up over years of playing at a high level can help accelerate the ramp-up process. Still, be it a rookie like Thompson-Robinson or a former Super Bowl Most Valuable Player like Flacco, the repetitions during the week leading up to a game are critical because it provides both quarterback and coaches with information to process and put into the ever-evolving game plan.

Van Pelt, himself a former quarterback, said it's a simple answer to how Flacco can get up to speed.

"A lot of meeting time," Van Pelt said. "He does a great job on his own, really did a nice job yesterday and stepping into the huddle and calling the plays. All the operation that comes in the huddle, he was excellent at. For him. It's just spending time in the playbook. It's about operation at the line of scrimmage, getting out of the huddle, getting to the huddle, and then operating. So again, his experience in multiple systems, getting ready for NFL games, he's done many times, so just a little more emphasis on understanding exactly what we're going to ask him to do if he's the guy on game day."

Flacco wasn't elevated for the game in Denver, which left only P.J. Walker as the other quarterback on the active roster after Thompson-Robinson. However, he was on the sideline and was included in the various aspects of the gameday operations.

It's not the same as actually playing in the game. It's not insignificant, either.

"I think it's huge really just to get a game under his belt where he had the earpiece in on the sideline and he was listening to the communication from (head coach) Kevin (Stefanski) to the QBs. Just how Kevin talks to those guys, how the play calls come in, our sideline mechanics after each series and what we have to get done before the next drive. All that, just getting a dry run under his belt, will be beneficial."

https://www.beaconjournal.com/story...ms-dorian-thompson-robinson/71748958007/

I certainly tend to agree with you. DTR definitely has potential moving forward but I think the team should be focused on playing who they feel gives the team the best chance of making the playoffs. I think Flacco would not only help the passing game somewhat, but opposing D's would be much more cautious in stacking the box with his arm strength as well. I could easily see it helping both the passing game as well as the running game.

Hopefully Ski has Joe ready to go. Great pickup. I’ll repeat myself. Not having a viable Quarterback backup in Cleveland is insane.

I'm not sure Flacco will play well, but I do trust him to not kill us with mistakes or turnovers. He may end up being our best option for this team this year

...or Berry rewarded Brisset's efforts here by trading him to a team where he'd have a much better opportunity to snag a starting gig. That seems more plausible than just throwing an assett down the crapper for no reason. Those types of mutual respect moves also pay off in the future when trying to get other FA's to sign.

I agree (as usual actually). But Berry and Co...all the way to Ski didn't see - or maybe just didn't DO - any of that ^.

We had Dobbs who STILL isn't a better backup option than Flacco...then traded Dobbs and went with DTR instead. (BTW I like DTR...just not yet.) That's even more egregious than playing a season without viable WRs and/or DTs. Not world-beaters...but NFL viable guys.

I'm going to vomit if I have to hear AGAIN how we 'went with' Dobbs and DTR (when we did) because they mimic DW4. First of all, no they don't/didn't. Just because they are a threat to run doesn't mean they mimic the starter. If the team/coaches are so stuck-in / fragile-in what they 'WANT' to do that they can't gameplan with a guy like Flacco vs DTR in a backup situation then we have the wrong group of people in there.

That said, having a developmental guy like DTR behind a guy like DW4 certainly carries some similarities and makes sense...but not at the moment for BU1 with DTR...whether in TC or today. Berry has now had three STRAIGHT seasons in which he failed to get the right guys in certain positions...and at (3) different positions at that...with the latest miss being the most egregious of the (3) with the QB.

I'll go as far as to state now that if Flacco looks fair as a backup, they should plan to sign him next year as the BU1 with DTR as the BU2. He won't command the $$$ that Brissett did and he can play in many different systems.

BTW & FWIW, I'm not calling for Berry & Co to be fired. However, I DO expect there to be some tough questions about these decisions especially in the 'window' that we are in - or THINK we are in.

JMO

I don't disagree with your premise there...but Berry didn't trade Brissett. He simply chose to not re-sign him or Brisset wanted a different opportunity.

Honestly I do not know if that is the case

My thoughts are more of who the QB is coming in

Someone with the experience of Flacco vs a back QB with limited experience

Seems someone like Flacco should be able to pick it up quicker and know how a receiver will run, just by seeing so many receivers in his time.

There have been QB's who were on a team Wednesday then got traded off to another team and was the starter on Sunday and did well.

Anxious to see how things turn out Sunday.

While I won't break down your entire post one thing stood out to me that I strongly agree with. This team has the highest payroll in the NFL in 2023. It would be hard to disagree that with watson under contract and all of the salaries being paid out that the window of opportunity to win and win now is open. As to how the watson story plays out here is yet to be seen. But they heavily invested building this roster to compete now and during the window watson is under contract. Under those circumstances I can't accept any excuse as to why the Browns went into this season with P.J. Walker and DTR as the backups at QB.

It's always nice when someone makes a feeble attempt to define a player off of one play. Let me know when the Browns have another QB on the roster at the backup position with Flacco's resume. Don't worry I'll wait.

Flacco also said the final drive against us with the jets was one of the easiest drives he has ever had. Maybe he can give our D some advice.

jfan...that is fairy tail SPIN/thinking..! Some attempt to inflate what was clearly a a Browns GM major screw-up into a positive for our front office and management. Sure, the Browns were just doing Brissett a favor.

One of the major "guardrails" that the Browns operate by is "Don't Pay For Backup Players"..look it up. The Browns were being as cheap as they could at QB and Brissett would cost them some money to keep him here. It didn't matter that Brissett 'earned' a raise from the Browns for the job he did filling in for the 11 games Watson was suspended...by the way, Brissett actually out-playing Watson last season.

jfan, tell us how much Brissett has played for Washington this season...Brissett was brought in as backup security for Washington but to also mentor their young QB Howell, who would was their choice to start. Brissett could have served the same function for the Browns, mentoring DTR, but the Browns front office never understood Brissett's total value and the talent he brought to the Browns franchise

The fact that Berry was to willing bring Brissett back this season, once Berry realized the Browns offense was in trouble once Watson went down with injury, is a clear indication of how much of a misjudgement/mistake Berry and his Boys made by letting Brissett walk away.

My fear...that the Browns fail to make the playoffs due to a front office screwup rather than our players being beaten by a team with better talented players.

The season rides on Flacco's shoulders and I'm hoping he has enough left to give us some decent QB play.

Or maybe Berry thought, why should I spend a bunch of money on a backup Qb? Stefanski won't use him anyway. After all, I was paying Case Keenum $10/year and Baker still played over him with a broken arm.

Take that as you prefer:
A criticism of Berry for paying Case that much or a criticism of Stefanski for not letting Baker heal
Or both

Those guardrails were written in 2016, just before the Sashi Brown/Hue Jackson 31-1 era. You're stating as fact that the current regime is currently following them to the letter. ...and my realistic alternative theory is a fairy tale?