The Cleveland Browns view Kirk Cousins and Joe Flacco the same. While you might push back at that, it's what SI NFL insider Albert Breer is hearing about the team's decision to bring back the veteran Flacco instead of pursuing the widely rumored move with Atlanta for Cousins.
That’s a good thing for the Browns, but also kind of an insult to Cousins. While he did collapse at the end of the season and played the Atlanta Falcons out of the NFL playoffs, he’s still a better option than Flacco.
If last year was any indication, Flacco probably isn’t going to look as good as he did his first time in Cleveland. I’m sure Cousins has more to offer than Flacco at this point. But it stands to reason the most important thing was the money factor.
In the same SI story, the Browns inking a $4 million deal that can be as much as $13 million with incentives makes it clear the Browns weren’t going to overpay for Cousins. It’s also unlikely the Falcons were going to cover that much of Cousins’ contract as part of the deal.
Does Browns-Joe Flacco reunion completely slam the door on a potential Kirk Cousins trade?
Breer seems to think the Browns aren’t closing the door completely on Cousins, despite signing Flacco. I doubt the Browns would entertain getting Cousins at this point. Unless Flacco plays awful and the Browns want to swap Flacco with Cousins before the trade deadline, that’s the only situation I could see a move being made.
I’m personally shocked the Browns didn’t jump at trading for Cousins. While he’s been adamant about not waiving his no-trade clause for just anybody, the Browns are the best fit. I get his hesitancy because, up until the Browns signed Flacco, it was clear that Shedeur Sanders was in play.
Now, it’s less likely the Browns draft him, which makes me feel if they got the veteran quarterback they wanted, they weren’t going quarterback anyway. Cousins probably has PTSD from the Falcons throwing $180 million at him just to draft Michael Penix Jr. with the ninth pick.
Cousins probably was scared the Browns would still take a quarterback with the No. 2, even after trading for him. But the Browns seem focused on having a bridge quarterback for now and worry about their future quarterback in the next draft or so.
The Browns might have whiffed on taking Flacco instead of Cousins, I guess only time will tell if that’s true or not. Neither are superior options, which is probably why the Browns saw them as similar.
Neither Cousins nor Flacco were going to take the Browns on a playoff run or even be one of the top teams in the AFC North. That said, the chance they do is enough for the Browns to consider one of them.