Browns video, Myles Garrett on contract extension in news conference
Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett discusses his historic contract extension during a news conference at team headquarters. Here’s video.
The Cleveland Browns have brought back quarterback Joe Flacco for the 2025 NFL season on a one-year deal for $4 million and up to $13 million with incentives, per reports.
Flacco returns to Cleveland after a year with the Indianapolis Colts in which he went 2-4 as a starter and played in eight games. In 2023, Flacco went 4-1 as the Browns’ starter late in the season to secure a wild card berth in the playoffs. Without Flacco in 2024, the Browns went 3-14 as Jameis Winston, Deshaun Watson, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe each started at least one game.
That season earned the Browns the No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
The Tennessee Titans hold the No. 1 pick and are expected to draft quarterback Cam Ward. That leaves the Browns with options to either draft a quarterback – almost certainly Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders – or select the best player available, either Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter.
Here’s the draft implications for the Browns signing Flacco:
How Flacco changes Browns’ draft outlook
Signing Flacco to a one-year deal provides a proven veteran to the team with familiarity in the locker room and the coaching staff. This should be a big sign that the Browns are not thinking quarterback at No. 2 overall and instead opting for Carter or Hunter.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry was in Boulder, Colorado. last week as Hunter was on the field catching passes from Sanders during the Colorado football showcase.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter said earlier this week he believes the Browns are leaning toward picking Hunter at No. 2 overall, noting that they saw Hunter at the showcase and “saw somebody that can move like nobody else.”
At time of publishing, Cleveland holds the first pick in Round 2 – No. 33 overall – and 10 total selections in the 2025 draft, tied for second-most in the league. Team officials have met with quarterbacks Tyler Shough (Louisville), Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss) and Jalen Milroe (Alabama). All three are considered less pro-ready than Ward or Sanders and, if the Browns draft any of them, the Flacco signing provides a contingency plan so they wouldn’t have to start as rookies.
Bringing Flacco back frees the team up to take the best player available at No. 2 overall as they have a safe option for a Week 1 starter at quarterback for 2025. They can take their choice of Shough, Dart or Milroe later on and take time to get them up to speed in the NFL.
Browns QB depth chart
Flacco’s signing means the Browns now have three quarterbacks on their roster two weeks out from the NFL draft:
Browns mock draft roundup
Even before the Flacco signing, many draft experts were predicting Cleveland would not pick a quarterback at No. 2 overall. Here’s the latest mock roundup results this week:
Hunter ranked first in our big board of the 2025 NFL draft’s top 101 prospects.
Browns seven-round mock draft
Here’s a look at what the Browns could do with their 10 picks over the seven rounds of the draft.
- Round 1, Pick 2: CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
- Round 2, Pick 33: QB Tyler Shough, Louisville
- Round 3, Pick 67: RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
- Round 3, Pick 94: WR Kyle Williams, Washington State
- Round 4, Pick 104: TE Terrance Ferguson, Oregon
- Round 6, Pick 179: CB Jason Marshall Jr., Florida
- Round 6, Pick 192: DT Cam Jackson, Florida
- Round 6, Pick 200: Edge R.J. Oben, Notre Dame
- Round 6, Pick 216: RB Jordan James, Oregon
- Round 7, Pick 255: QB Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
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