BEREA, Ohio — On Monday, the Browns signed veteran quarterback Joe Flacco to their practice squad, giving them a third QB on the roster and providing an experienced player with resources rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson and the rest of the team can tap into.
Flacco, a Super Bowl MVP and 16-year vet, spent 11 of those years playing for the Browns' AFC North divisional foe, the Baltimore Ravens. Spending all of those years rivaling the Browns could make this latest stop in his career a little strange—but he said the time and distance have eliminated those feelings quite a bit.
"I think it would probably be a little bit different if I was coming here four or five years ago, but having bounced around a few spots now, it's probably not quite as different. Teams change so much from year to year in this league. Coaches change, organizations change, so when you look back on it, it's really, they're so separate that there's probably a little bit of strangeness to it. But overall, like I said, you kind of come in here and you focus on meeting the new guys that are on your team and it just feels like football and that's the most important thing," Flacco said.
Rather than strangeness, Flacco's first reaction to being in Cleveland is closeness—the closeness he's noticed within the locker room in his first few days around the team.
It's no secret this Browns team is tight-knit. Their grind-it-out winning ways this season and ability to push through adversity, particularly through the many injuries the team has dealt with this year.
Flacco, here for just two days, can already see how the Browns' bonds have helped them find ways to win this year.
"These guys have obviously really put it together on defense. They've run the ball consistently all year, even with losing out on the best back in the league with Chubb. So it's been impressive to watch them kind of just continue to fight. And when you're here in the locker room, you hear about how close the team is from some of the guys that I know and you can see it right away," Flacco said.
On Wednesday, Flacco started working his way into the team as he took the practice fields in Berea, working behind Thompson-Robinson and backup P.J. Walker.
Flacco eased into work, taking reps with the practice squad receivers and tight ends while coming in for more passing reps with Thompson-Robinson and Walker.
First look at #Browns QB Joe Flacco with his new team today at practice. pic.twitter.com/RBov0Hhz66
— Camryn Justice (@camijustice) November 22, 2023
Right now, Thompson-Robinson has been named the starting quarterback in the absence of Deshaun Watson, who is out for the season after breaking a bone in his throwing shoulder.
With the Browns preparing for their trip west, first to take on the Broncos in Denver on Sunday and then to Los Angeles to prepare for the Rams the following week, Flacco's role is to support Thompson-Robinson.
That support begins in the meeting rooms and extends to the field, with Flacco starting to practice with the team.
"Joe coming in here is more of a blessing than anything. Like I said, I'm asking him a bunch of questions. We were chopping it up a stuff ton this morning. He's in the early meetings with us and me and P.J. now, so it's great, man. He's fit in so well," Thompson-Robinson said. "I've only known him for just about a day with him being here. So I love Joe. It's been awesome."
Head coach Kevin Stefanski said that they'll work out the QB room situation and whether Flacco will be named the backup to Thompson-Robinson.
But whatever Flacco's role is or becomes as the season goes on, the veteran quarterback is ready to step into it and help the Browns keep their winning ways going.
"Listen, I'm a veteran guy that's been around a lot. At this point in the season, with a team that's doing well. So, I think there's a lot of different things that I can bring to the table," Flacco said. "I think that whatever my role ends up being and wherever this takes me, then I'll do my best at that.”
