Cleveland Browns add Joe Flacco to practice squad as quarterback insurance

Earlier this week, the Cleveland Browns were hit with some disappointment when an MRI revealed a broken bone in Deshaun Watson's throwing shoulder. With his season over, Kevin Stefanski turned to Dorian Thompson-Robinson instead of P.J. Walker. That was the right call as DTR led Cleveland to a 13-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11.

Thompson-Robinson wasn't elite by any means but he was perfect on the final drive, setting up a game-winning field goal. Despite that, the Browns decided to add some insurance behind him shortly after the game. Late on Sunday, it was reported that Cleveland signed veteran Joe Flacco to the practice squad.

Flacco was in Cleveland earlier this week working out but left without a deal. Reports said the two sides were assessing the fit and in the end, they did decide to come together. The move is a smart one since it now gives the Browns a seasoned veteran to play behind Thompson-Robinson.

A former first-round pick out of Delaware, Flacco spent the first 11 years of his career with the Baltimore Ravens and even won a Super Bowl with them in 2012. From there, he spent one season with the Denver Broncos and then the past three with the New York Jets.

In all, he's completed 61.6 percent of his attempts for 42,320 yards with 232 touchdowns and 147 picks. He's known for being able to throw the deep ball and Cleveland fans know all too well that he can still drive it deep despite being in his late 30s. In Week 2 of the 2022 season, Flacco threw for 307 yards and four touchdowns in a win over the Browns.

Speaking of defeating the Browns, it might be hard for some of the Cleveland faithful to see Flacco in the orange and brown. Not only was he a rival for 11 years but he has an insane 18-3 record against the Browns. Now, he will serve as a backup and could potentially be an upgrade over P.J. Walker.

In a perfect world, Flacco does nothing but hold a clipboard and offer some sound advice for the rookie quarterback. However, if he's asked to step in at any point, he's not going to back down no matter what the situation is. That's why he was added to a team with postseason hopes.

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