Browns New Quarterback Move May Block Patriots From Drafting Generational Talent

The NFL draft is now less than two weeks away, and there are still significant mysteries about where the top 2025 prospects will end up. Unlike last year when the top four picks were generally seen as locked in well in advance of draft day, in 2025 the Tennessee Titans at No. 1, followed by the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants and New England Patriots have all so far given mixed signals at best about what they plan to do once the clock starts in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on April 24.

The Browns, drafting in the second position off their 3-14 finish last season, took at least a small step toward creating some clarity on Friday when they reached an agreement with 17-year veteran and 2012 Super Bowl winning quarterback Joe Flacco.

The Browns, according to an ESPN report, will sign Flacco to a one-year, $4 million contract with incentive clauses that could bring the 40-year-old’s pay up to $13 million.

2023 Comeback Player of the Year Comes Back

Flacco spent the first 11 years of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, who made him their first-round draft pick, 18th overall, in 2008 out of Delaware — the highest draft pick ever for Blue Hens player. He guided the Ravens to Super Bowl 47 where, on February 3rd, 2013, they edged the San Francisco 49ers 34-31.

Flacco completed 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in that game.

Since departing Baltimore after the 2018 season to make way for Lamar Jackson, Flacco bounced among the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts and the Browns. It was in Cleveland that Flacco at age 38 won the 2023 NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, starting five games at the tail end of the season, winning four to get Cleveland into the playoffs for only the second time since 2002.

But the Browns let Flacco go after that performance, only to bring him back for 2025. And by doing that, they appear to put to rest the possibility that they will draft Colorado signal-caller Shedeur Sanders with the No. 2 pick. The Browns now have a quarterback room consisting of Deshaun Watson, who is likely to sit out the season with an Achilles tear, Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett, and Flacco.

With the Tennessee Titans at No. 1 and expected to take Miami QB Cam Ward, that leaves teh consensus top three remaining prospects as Sanders, Penn State linebacker Abdul Carter, and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, also out of Colorado, who excelled both at wide receiver and cornerback in college and is widely looked on as a once-in-a-generation athletic talent.

Patriots Must Recalibrate After Browns Flacco Signing

The Patriots, at No. 4, reportedly have Hunter in their sites if he remains available once three picks come off the board. But the Browns’ Flacco signing appears to make a Hunter draft scenario for the Patriots nothing more than a mirage. The Browns appear likely to select Hunter with their pick.

“The reported Flacco agreement doesn’t completely rule out Cleveland drafting Sanders. However, it makes the idea much slimmer than it was before Friday,” wrote NESN.com scribe Jason Ounpraseuth, who added that the Browns now appear likely to wait until the second or third round to draft a quarterback, who would then become a developmental project taking a place behind Flacco and Pickett on the depth chart.

What about Carter, the premier edge-rusher in the draft? The Patriots would be highly likely to draft him if he remained available at No. 4 and Hunter went to Cleveland. But according to an online post made by Carter himself on Friday, it appears that he fully expects to be selected No. 3 by New York.

That leaves the Patriots — who are settled at quarterback with 2024 No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye — with two likely scenarios. The first, draft an offensive tackle — also a key area of need. The “heavy favorite” at that position remains LSU lineman Will Campbell. Or the Patriots could decide to trade away their pick for a package of lower-ranked draft selections, allowing them to address multiple positional needs — but missing out on the prime available talent in the draft.