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According to reports, the Cleveland Browns are hosting a quarterback workout on Friday morning following the season-ending shoulder injury to controversial quarterback Deshaun Watson.
One of the quarterbacks set to be in attendance is 38-year-old signal-caller Joe Flacco, who was last on, and even started a few games for, the New York Jets last season.
The #Browns are hosting a QB workout this morning, and sources say former Super Bowl MVP and #Ravens QB Joe Flacco is among them. Flacco last played for the #Jets and has kept his mind open about a return.
With Deshaun Watson’s injury, adding a practice squad player is likely. pic.twitter.com/93hx9LAsBC
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 17, 2023
During 2022 with the Jets, Flacco — a former Super Bowl winner with the Baltimore Ravens — started in four games and completed 57% of his passes for 1,051 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions. Flacco has a career record of 10-1 at the Cleveland Browns’ stadium.
While other quarterbacks are expected to be in attendance at the workout, it has not been reported which. Furthermore, reports indicate that whatever QB the Browns do sign, they’ll be added to the practice squad. Given the fact that the team has a championship-caliber defense, however, it’s likely that the leashes of Dorian Thompson-Robinson and backup PJ Walker will be quite short.
News of Watson’s season-ending injury came at a devastating time for the Browns and their fans as they had just completed an epic comeback win over the division-leading Baltimore Ravens and were beginning to look like legitimate AFC contenders.
Despite the fact that they’re 6-3, the Browns currently sit third in the AFC North. They do, however, currently occupy one of the three Wild Card slots in the AFC Playoffs.
In their final eight games of the 2023 season, the Browns will be facing off against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, New York Jets, and Cincinnati Bengals.
Likely needing ten wins to make it to the playoffs, the Browns will believe they’ll still be able to qualify for the postseason despite the loss of Watson, who certainly wasn’t playing at a Pro Bowl level, anyway.
This weekend, Week 11, the Browns will be taking on the Steelers in a key AFC North matchup. Cleveland is currently favored by 1 point over the visiting Steelers.