Going into 2025, Joe Flacco seems to have a leg up in the race to be the team's starting quarterback. The veteran fan favorite re-signed with the Browns this offseason and doesn't have a ton of solidified competition for the job, competing against Kenny Pickett and two mid-round rookies, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. With the Colts in 2024, Flacco was solid in his six starts, but he still threw seven interceptions on 248 pass attempts.
2023 was the definition of a magical year for Flacco and the Browns; the defense played at a historical rate, but Flacco was the team's fifth quarterback of the year. Because Flacco brought an average quarterback to a team that was barely scraping by with P.J. Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, the results looked great, and the defense was able to carry them to an 11-win season. On top of that, seeing a former rival who tormented the team for years take them to the postseason added to the love fans have for the 40-year-old.
Joe Flacco unlikely to repeat 2023 magic in 2025
Because of how Flacco's last stint with the team ended, some fans have hope that this stint will look similar. The defense does have a great chance to have a bounce-back year, but it's hard to imagine the Browns can get another 11-win season with Flacco dropping back 40-plus times per game. In reality, the veteran's top priority is getting the offense settled in with the scheme change for a rookie to eventually take over.
The 'bust' label for Flacco in 2025 is a bit unfair, as he's one of the few players with tangible expectations this year. Because of the fun 2023 season, some fans think everything will return to how it was before last year, with little difference. On top of that, the Browns' offense has many more questions than answers. They already lack proven playmakers outside of Jerry Jeudy and David Njoku, and second-round running back Quinshon Judkins could be facing a suspension after recent legal issues.
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Flacco is facing an uphill battle to replicate his 2023 success, especially when you factor in the Browns winning four of his five starts despite his eight interceptions in that time. He's almost undoubtedly going to disappoint the majority of fans, but that's mostly because their expectations for him are unfair due to the familiarity. If this were a different 40-year-old, expectations would be lower, but the recent fun with Flacco has led to some overzealous hopes for the year.
Flacco seemingly has good football left in him, but the 2023 run feels more like a best-case scenario for the season rather than a standard of where this group should be. As long as he can get the offense up and running as they transition back to what Kevin Stefanski is known for, his second go-around will be a success even if it doesn't result in many wins. j