Elite contract: Joe Flacco's new Browns deal pays for itself

The Cleveland Browns turned to 15-year NFL veteran Joe Flacco after Dorian Thompson-Robinson suffered a concussion in Week 12. The rookie was cleared for Sunday's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but Kevin Stefanski kept Flacco at the controls. The results speak for themselves.

Cleveland won not on the strength of their No. 1 defense, but because of their explosive offense. Flacco completed 26-of-45 passes for 311 yards, three scores, and only one interception. He wasn't perfect, but relative to Cleveland's standard of QB play in 2023, Flacco's outing was positively rapturous.

A lot of folks were content to count the Browns out when Deshaun Watson underwent season-ending shoulder surgery. The Browns' two backup QBs — DTR and P.J. Walker — have been more or less terrible all season, but in Flacco, Stefanski appears to have found his answer. At least in the short term.

The Browns signed Flacco to a proper one-year contract to finish the season in Cleveland, with several incentives tied to the Browns' performance with the 38-year-old under center. Basically, if the Browns win, Flacco wins.

Flacco's contract includes $4.05 million in incentives, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Flacco will make $75,000 per Browns win for the remaining four regular season games on the schedule. He will receive $250,000 for a wild card win, $500,000 for a divisional playoff win, $1 million for an AFC championship win, and $2 million for a Super Bowl win.

Joe Flacco receives incentive-laden contract from Browns after impressive win

It's fair to categorize some of those incentives as more likely than others, but Flacco deserves serious credit for stepping off the street and playing rock-solid football for a Browns team in need. Flacco made five appearances (four starts) for the New York Jets last season, completing 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,051 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions.

His career appeared all but over, and he even took interviews for broadcast positions before the Browns called out of desperation. Now, Flacco is cemented as a starter for at least the remainder of the regular season. The Browns' win on Sunday moved the team to 8-5, in sole possession of the No. 1 Wild Card spot.

Cleveland's elite defense makes it very easy to buy stock in the Browns as a postseason threat — especially when so many Wild Card contenders are also relient on backup QBs. From Gardner Minshew, to Mitch Trubisky, to Jake Browning, Flacco is far and away the most accomplished gunslinger of the bunch.

Flacco won Super Bowl MVP with the Baltimore Ravens in 2013. The Browns face an uphill battle to reach that point, but in the NFL, you can never quite say 'never.' Nick Foles is also a Super Bowl MVP, lest we forget.

The Browns will look to keep the positive momentum going on Sunday when the Chicago Bears come to town.