Joe Flacco Talks Browns Contract: 'I Definitely Believe I Can Still Play'

Joe Flacco is confident he can contribute to the Cleveland Browns if called upon after signing with the team.

"I definitely believe I can still play," he told reporters Wednesday.

Flacco was last seen suiting up for the New York Jets in 2022. Over five games, he threw for 1,051 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions. His 36.1 QBR was an all-time low, per Pro Football Reference.

When reports of the 38-year-old joining Cleveland surfaced, The Athletic's Mike Sando cited an NFL executive who contrasted him with Peyton Manning in 2015. Manning was well past his prime and endured his worst ever year, yet the Denver Broncos won a Super Bowl anyway. The executive didn't see a parallel with Flacco as the Browns hope to make a deep playoff run.

"Peyton was just such a commanding presence who could still run the play clock down, still get the defense to jump, still carry a ton of swag," they said. "They compare in mobility. They do not compare in command of the game, leadership, that stuff. And I'm not even sure how well Joe can throw the ball at this point."

Granted, Flacco probably doesn't even see the field in an ideal scenario for Cleveland.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson started for an injured Deshaun Watson in the team's Week 11 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, and head coach Kevin Stefanski made it clear that remains the plan moving forward.

If the Browns can continue to with with Thompson-Robinson under center, then it won't matter how much Flacco has left in the tank.