The Browns are offering QB Joe Flacco millions in incentives to sign him to their 53-man practice squad roster
He has now officially signed to the Cleveland Browns 53-man roster after starting the last two games.
You see, he was on the practice squad at the time and started games at standard height. He now has a new contract and, reportedly, full of incentives.
While the deal hasn’t been officially announced yet, he could earn a big chunk of money if he can help the Browns continue to win – the longer they go, the more he earns, wisely enough.
The details were reported by ESPN’s Jake Trotter. With four games left in the regular season, each win will earn Flacco an additional $75,000. Provided Cleveland advances to the postseason, its revenue increases with each round.
A win in the Wildcard Round will earn him another $250,000, a division win $500,000, the conference championship $1 million and the Super Bowl $2 million.
Considering the Browns haven’t advanced past the Divisional Round since 1989, I’m not sure how high Flacco should reasonably pin his hopes on a career-ending financial windfall. Still, a franchise with so little success would happily pay those prices to get to those places.
The Browns, of course, employ Deshaun Watson as their quarterback, paying him $230 million over five years. However, he is on the reserve/injured list and has only played six games. P J. Walker also started two games and rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson started three.
Flacco posted the best numbers by far: he threw for 565 yards with five touchdowns against two interceptions and had a 45.7% pass completion rate – by far the highest of any quarterback on the roster. Cleveland currently sits at 8-5 and is in position to reach the postseason as a Wildcard team, although the division may be out of reach at this point with the Baltimore Ravens at 10-3.
They also have a rather favorable rest schedule. Their next opponent is the Chicago Bears, followed by the Houston Texans, arguably their biggest challenge, assuming QB CJ Stroud returns by then.
Their last two games were against the New York Jets and Cincinnati Bengals, although both teams seemed to have finally gotten used to playing with a backup quarterback.
I honestly can’t remember another season where so many backup quarterbacks played such an important role. Several teams, including Cleveland, appear to be on the path to viability even without their starter.
How far can they go with Flacco at quarterback? His career faltered at the end of his tenure with the Baltimore Ravens, a half-decade after winning the Super Bowl, leading them to sign Lamar Jackson.
