Browns’ new quarterback deal hurts Patriots’ chances in draft

The Browns have signed veteran quarterback Joe Flacco one-year, $4 million deal that could be worth up to $13 million with incentives, per Adam Schefter. Flacco will return for another year in Cleveland, he played with the Browns and won Comeback Player of the Year in 2023 before spending last season with the Colts.

Flacco only played in eight games with the Colts, throwing for 1761 yards, on 162 completions, he had 12 touchdowns, and seven picks as well. Although he's certainly not a long-term option, the 40-year-old with compete with Deshaun Watson for the starting job in Cleveland.

Bringing in Flacco also likely has some draft implications. The Browns have the second pick, and bringing in a guy like Flacco may mean they will not be taking a quarterback, namely Colorado's Shedeur Sanders. To further that theory, Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday that the Browns brought one of the top edge rushers in the draft, Jalon Walker of Georgia, in for a visit.

In all likelihood, the Browns and the Giants are loading up on veteran quarterbacks so they can punt on drafting a quarterback until 2026 or later. This doesn't bode well for the chances of a top-tier draft prospect like Colorado's Travis Hunter or Penn State's Abdul Carter falling to the Patriots at the No. 4 pick.

However, it's possible that Walker is rising up the board and Carter could be slipping. So, perhaps there will be a high-end prospect in the Pats' spot. But it's still possible that New England is taking a tackle, regardless, as LSU's Will Campbell is believed to be the heavy favorite for the fourth pick.

The second and third spots in the order remain a point of intrigue over the next few weeks, until the draft finally arrives.

Luke Graham is a digital sports content co-op for 98.5 the Sports Hub. He is currently a sophomore at Northeastern University studying communications and media studies. Read all his articles here, and follow him on X @LukeGraham05.