The Indianapolis Colts and veteran quarterback Joe Flacco have reached settlement on a one-year deal price as much as $8.7 million, sources advised ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Wednesday.
Flacco, who performed for the Cleveland Browns final season and gained NFL Comeback Participant of the Yr honors, will obtain $4.5 million assured within the deal, in response to sources.
In Indianapolis, Flacco will again up and mentor second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. Flacco additionally will present some peace of thoughts for the Colts after Richardson missed 12 video games as a rookie following a season-ending shoulder harm and one recreation earlier within the marketing campaign due to a concussion.
Flacco offers the Colts a dependable backup who will not take apply reps from a younger quarterback nonetheless in his developmental stage. And the Seventeenth-year signal-caller can mentor Richardson, who began only one full season at Florida and misplaced treasured alternatives to play throughout his rookie marketing campaign.
With Gardner Minshew, final yr’s backup QB in Indy, signing with the Las Vegas Raiders this week, the Colts get a confirmed alternative in Flacco. Flacco’s arm power also needs to be a lift over Minshew, who usually was reluctant to throw the deep ball. That’s one thing Colts coach Shane Steichen admitted was lacking from the Colts’ offense final season. In Richardson and Flacco, the Colts now have two of the most important arms within the NFL.
Flacco signed with the Browns’ apply squad in November after a season-ending shoulder harm to beginning quarterback Deshaun Watson. Two weeks later, Flacco made his first begin. He went on to grow to be the primary quarterback in NFL historical past to throw for greater than 250 yards and a number of touchdowns in his first 5 video games with a brand new crew.
Flacco additionally propelled the Browns to a four-game profitable streak and the No. 5 seed within the AFC playoffs. He completed the common season with 1,616 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 5 video games.
Cleveland, nevertheless, fell within the first spherical of the postseason to the Houston Texans. Flacco threw pick-sixes on back-to-back possessions within the second half of the 45-14 defeat.
Flacco, 39, gained the Tremendous Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2013 and was named Tremendous Bowl MVP. He has thrown for 43,936 yards and 245 touchdowns in a profession that additionally consists of time with the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles.
ESPN’s Jake Trotter and Stephen Holder contributed to this report.
