Would Joe Flacco return to Browns as Deshaun Watson's backup?

Veteran quarterback and soon-to-be free agent Joe Flacco sounds willing to return to the Cleveland Browns for another season even though doing so would mean opening the summer as the backup behind Deshaun Watson.

"I’m going to take my time as always, but it was one of the best experiences of my life," Flacco recently said about featuring for the Browns during a chat with Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "I love it there, so definitely want to (come back)."

Flacco began the 2023 campaign unsigned and remained unattached through the fall until the Browns lost Watson to a season-ending shoulder injury in November. The Super Bowl XLVII Most Valuable Player ultimately went 4-1 across five regular-season starts to help Cleveland notch a playoff berth ahead of his 39th birthday he celebrated in January. 

Over those five contests, Flacco completed 60.3% of 204 passes for 1,616 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions en route to somewhat controversially earning Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year honors. He did, however, throw a pair of pick-sixes in Cleveland's 45-14 wild-card playoff loss at the Houston Texans. 

For a piece published last week, Zac Jackson of The Athletic wrote that he wasn't sure the Browns could "risk bringing Flacco back should Watson struggle, given Flacco’s popularity in the locker room and success in the season’s final month." 

While the Browns technically could afford to trade Watson this offseason, they instead are hoping new offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey will help the 28-year-old reclaim the form that made him a three-time Pro Bowl selection. 

"I’m not riding off into any sunset," Flacco said about his playing future. "It’s not my style. I don’t care how ugly it gets. I want to be playing until maybe it does get ugly. I want to be dragged off that field. Having said that, it may not be up to me. It took until week whatever for me to even be on a team this year. I understand that not all of those decisions are made by me. But I think I’m going to be back out there next year and take it day by day."

It remains to be seen what type of market will exist for Flacco in March considering how he looked against the Texans. Logic suggests the Browns should happily welcome him back with open arms if he's willing to sign a team-friendly deal even if doing so makes him the most popular player in the club's quarterback room among fans through training camp.