If you're going to sign fan favorites, you cannot avoid this obvious choice.
Joe Flacco returning to the Cleveland Browns just two seasons after he led them to the postseason may not have been on many fans' bingo cards this offseason. After all, the signal caller is 40 years old, had an abysmal season with the Indianapolis Colts in 2024, and hasn't started a full season for a team since 2017.
Still, adding Flacco back to the quarterback room helps to solidify the Browns' plans in the draft in addition to providing a great veteran presence for a rookie in 2025, and Flacco likely won't be the starter for the entire season if that rookie shows he's ready to go at QB1 sooner than expected.
Signing Flacco got surprisingly positive reviews from fans, who are excited to see how Flacco can turn back the clock, if at all, for the Browns. At the very least, he signals that the team isn't going for Kirk Cousins this offseason and is avoiding a huge trade as a result, and signals that the team is pretty much done with Deshaun Watson as a legitimate option at signal caller.
There is still one other signing the Browns need to seriously consider making soon, although it seems like they're waiting until the draft to do so: re-signing Nick Chubb to a new deal, and bringing an even greater fan favorite back onto the roster.
Chubb should get new deal from Browns soon
Chubb did not get the comeback season he deserved in 2024. He suffered a broken foot towards the end of the year, and never got back up to game speed behind a very injured offensive line. He just looked like a shell of his former self trying to get back to his ground and pound style.
And, as it was a contract year for him, he wasn't able to show why he'd make for a great longterm fit for Cleveland as their RB1 moving forward.
Instead, Chubb has gone unsigned by anyone this offseason - and, it's starting to feel like the Browns might be open to re-signing Chubb once the draft is over. There are plenty of fun running back options available to them on days two and three, so if Chubb still isn't 100% by the season's start, they can rely on Jerome Ford and a high-floor rookie to fill in the gap.
Chubb might also be waiting to see what the Browns do in the draft before signing a new deal. No one likes the feeling of being replaced, and that's likely how he'd feel seeing Cleveland take someone like Cam Skattebo or TreVeyon Henderson this year.
Either way, it'd be great to see Chubb actually get a shot at proving he's able to return from not one, but two catastrophic knee injuries in his career. If it's just for a one year deal, then he can come back this season in Week 1 fully healthy and able play for another deal, with Cleveland or another team.
