Joe Flacco used to beat the Browns regularly. He might be joining them.
The former Ravens quarterback is working out Friday for Cleveland, which is still sorting through its QB situation after losing Deshaun Watson with a season-ending shoulder injury, a person familiar with the visit told The Associated Press.
The 38-year-old Flacco could be an option for the Browns, who lost Watson for the remainder of this season when he fractured his right shoulder in the first half of last week’s win at Baltimore.
Watson played the second half and went 14 of 14 passing despite the injury while rallying the Browns to a stunning 33-31 win.
Flacco, who played 11 seasons for the Ravens, is the only QB being worked out Friday at the team’s facility, said the person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the club never publicly discloses any player workouts.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski would not confirm Flacco’s workout following practice, saying only “we bring a lot of guys in.”
Flacco has an 18-3 career mark against the Browns, and last season he rallied the New York Jets to an improbable comeback win over them. He hasn’t been on any roster in 2023. But he has kept open the possibility of returning, and Cleveland has a pressing need.
Watson’s injury has threatened to derail a promising season for the Browns (6-3), who won’t have their franchise QB until 2024 at the earliest and need help now.
With Watson sidelined, the Browns are starting rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) with P.J. Walker as his backup. Thompson-Robinson threw three interceptions in his only start against the Ravens on Oct. 1.
Earlier this week, Browns general manager Andrew Berry said the team will add a third QB, but he didn’t specify if it would be to the active roster or practice squad. The Browns may wait to see how Thompson-Robinson does in his second career start before making any decisions.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore spent two seasons with Flacco in New York and said he would be a great addition.
“Joe’s a leader,” Moore said. “I feel like he has a lot of experience. He knows football, and how could you not want to lean on somebody who knows football? They play the game for a long time at a very high level, the highest level, MVP level. So major respect to him.”
Flacco was named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player in February 2013 after leading the Ravens to a 34-31 win over the San Francisco 49ers. He completed 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns.
The 6-foot-6 QB has passed for 42,320 yards and gone 99-81 as a starter in 180 career NFL starts. Flacco played 11 seasons for the Ravens, three with the Jets and one in Denver.
Like Moore, Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett believes Flacco would be a major asset — as a player or simply to help Thompson-Robinson.
“Maturity and experience. Wisdom,” Garrett said when asked the value of adding a player like Flacco. “As much as Deshaun has played, Flacco’s seen more. He’s been to the highest level. He can provide that little bit of a mentor role even if he doesn’t see the field being there and being a consistent leader.”
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