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Browns ‘In Play’ for $180 Million QB to Replace Injured Deshaun Watson

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nate Lunak | Last updated Mar 16, 2025 12:00 PM ET

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson's five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract continues to look worse as he's set to miss the start of the 2025 season after requiring surgery to repair a re-ruptured Achilles tendon in January.

That leaves Kenny Pickett, who the team acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to be the Browns' Week 1 starter, as the only other quarterback currently on the roster.

However, there are still other options on the open market, with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk stating that Cleveland, along with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings, are 'in play' for veteran quarterback Joe Flacco.

Flacco made eight appearances for the Indianapolis Colts in 2024, and he proved to be a viable starter, completing 162 of 248 passes for 1,761 yards, 12 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 90.5 passer rating.

He also has experience with the Browns, making five starts in 2023 in place of Watson, leading them to a 4-1 record, which was good enough to boost them into the playoffs before eventually losing in the wild-card round.

In route to also winning AP Comeback Player of the Year with Cleveland, he completed 123 of 204 passes for 1,616 yards, 13 touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 90.2 passer rating.

If the Browns did find Flacco to be a suitable replacement for Watson until he's back, they wouldn't have to spend much as Spotrac currently places his market value at $3.2 million annually, which is a fraction of his $180 million career earnings.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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