The Cleveland Browns brought back a familiar face.
They re-signed Joe Flacco one year after letting him go in free agency.
Notably, that move was met with harsh criticism at the time, as even if Deshaun Watson was going to be healthy, Flacco had earned a spot on the roster with the way he played when he joined the team.
However, as much backlash as they faced from the fans, they didn’t bring him back because of them.
According to team insider Tony Grossi, the way the fans felt about him or anything else had little to nothing to do with their decision:
“While Flacco was wildly popular with fans after leading the Browns to the playoffs in 2023, the No. 1 motivator in bringing him back was his affordability ($3 million guaranteed). No. 2 was his familiarity with the Kevin Stefanski offense. Flacco’s popularity in the Browns’ locker room was eminently more important than his popularity among fans,” Grossi wrote.
That makes sense, as you can’t run a team based on the fans’ opinion.
Fans are passionate, and while no one doubts their love for the team and even their understanding of the game, decision-makers in front offices need to be more pragmatic.
Looking back, it feels like not bringing him back was a huge mistake, especially considering how respected he was in the locker room.
He’s not the youngest player in the league by any means, and one year could make a huge difference at this point.
Fans expecting him to be the same player he was when he first arrived in Northeast Ohio might need to tame their expectations.
However, he should certainly be an upgrade at the position and a strong competitor to Kenny Pickett, and even if he didn’t want to be a mentor in the past, he might have no choice but to do so at this point in his career.
NEXT: Insider Says 1 Prospect Could Add Some 'Sizzle' To Browns' Offense
