Joe Flacco recently signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts. The contract is worth up to $8.7 million, including $4.5 million guaranteed.
Free agent quarterback Gardner Minshew left Indy and signed with the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason. With Minshew out of the picture, the Colts needed a backup quarterback replacement.
A few names popped up like Tyrod Taylor, Tyler Huntley, and even Justin Fields. But at the end of the day, Flacco turned out to be the guy. Flacco, who has 16 NFL seasons under his belt, could be the perfect mentor for young Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson.
Signing Joe Flacco Will Prove To Be Wise Move For The Colts
His Career to Date
The Baltimore Ravens selected Joe Flacco in the first round (18th overall pick) of the 2008 NFL Draft. He became the highest-drafted player ever from the University of Delaware.
Flacco would start all 16 games as a rookie in Baltimore. That season, he became the third rookie quarterback in history to win his first playoff start. He was also the first to accomplish the feat on the road.
Flacco wound up playing 11 seasons with the Ravens. He helped lead the team to the postseason six times, appearing in three AFC Championship Games.
Baltimore won Super Bowl XLVII, defeating the San Francisco 49ers 34-31. Flacco, who threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns, was named the game’s MVP.
Flacco left the Ravens in 2019. Since then, he has had stints with the Denver Broncos, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and Cleveland Browns.
This past season, Joe Flacco signed with the Browns late in the year and replaced injured starter Deshaun Watson. He posted a 4-1 record and helped the team reach the playoffs. As a result, he took home NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors.
Why Signing Joe Flacco Was a Brilliant Decision
Over the past few years, the Colts have been known for acquiring quarterbacks who are in their late 30s. The team signed 38-year-old Philip Rivers in 2020 and traded for Matt Ryan (37) two years later.
During his lone season in Indianapolis, Rivers led the team to an 11-5 record and a trip to the playoffs. Ryan, though, struggled mightily, contributing to a horrible four-win 2022 campaign.
Unlike Rivers and Ryan before him, the 39-year-old Joe Flacco isn’t expected to be the starter. Richardson is undoubtedly the Colts’ QB1.
Flacco’s resume includes a Super Bowl victory, a Super Bowl MVP, and 103 career wins. He possesses a ton of knowledge, making him an ideal backup for the inexperienced Richardson. He can teach him what it takes to be a successful NFL quarterback.
Richardson is coming off a disappointing rookie year. The former Florida Gator missed the majority of the season after suffering a shoulder injury. Minshew took over and nearly got the Colts to the playoffs.
If Richardson goes down with an injury next season, Flacco could come in and keep the team competitive like Minshew did. Plus he has the arm strength that Minshew lacks, which would help a deep-threat receiver like the Colts’ Alec Pierce.
A lot of fans wanted Minshew to stay in Indianapolis. However, Joe Flacco can be just as good or better.
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