Veteran quarterback joins Cleveland Browns on $13 million contract as Deshaun Watson retirement rumors swirl

THE Cleveland Browns have signed a familiar face amid Deshuan Watson retirement rumors.

The Browns signed a longtime veteran quarterback on Friday.

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The Browns and Joe Flacco reached agreement on a one-year, $4 million contract, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The report added that the contract could be worth as much as $13 million.

Flacco played with the Browns during the 2023 season and was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year for his efforts.

He helped the Dawg Pound win four of his five starts, throwing for over 300 yards in each of the victories, to help them land in the playoffs.

Flacco signed with the Indianapolis Colts last season but didn’t experience the same kind of success when he was thrust into the starting lineup in place of Anthony Richardson.

The 40-year-old Flacco will join a quarterback room with Watson, who is rehabbing after retearing his right Achilles tendon, and Kenny Pickett.

There have been retirement rumors surrounding Watson, who could miss the majority or all of the 2025 season due to the injury.

Watson hasn’t received much support from the Browns organization, with team co-owner Jimmy Haslman admitting the trade for the $230 million man has been a failure and calling him a “swing-and-a-miss.”

“We took a big swing-and-miss with Deshaun,” he said.

“We thought we had the quarterback; we didn’t. And we gave up a lot of draft picks to get him, so we’ve got to dig ourselves out of that hole.

Flacco’s arrival likely signals that there will be a competition between him and Pickett, who said he was told he would have a chance to be the team’s 2025 starting quarterback.

The new addition also appears that the Browns likely won’t take a quarterback with their No. 2 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Browns have met with numerous top quarterback prospects, including Cam Ward, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick, Shedeur Sanders, Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe, and Tyler Shough.

Haslam has also revealed that the team will not force a quarterback with its first selection.

Nonetheless, the Browns could opt to take a quarterback in the second round or later in the draft.

Flacco is coming off a season in which he finished with 1,761 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

And Pickett was a backup throughout the 2024 campaign and was part of the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning team.

Flacco brings with him 17 years of NFL experience.

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He has posted 45,697 yards with 257 touchdowns and 162 interceptions.

Flacco was named Super Bowl 47 MVP when he led the Baltimore Ravens to the big game win over the San Francisco 49ers in 2012.