Joe Flacco agrees with Colts on one-year deal, sources say،
The Indianapolis Colts and veteran quarterback Joe Flacco have reached agreement on a one-year contract worth up to $8.7 million, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Wednesday.
Flacco, who played for the Cleveland Browns last season and earned NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors, will receive $4.5 million guaranteed as part of the deal, according to sources.
In Indianapolis, Flacco will support and mentor second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson. Flacco will also bring some peace of mind to the Colts after Richardson missed 12 games as a rookie following a season-ending shoulder injury and one game earlier in the campaign due to a concussion.
Flacco gives the Colts a reliable backup who won't take practice reps from a young quarterback still developing. And the 17th-year signal-caller can mentor Richardson, who started just one full season at Florida and lost valuable playing opportunities during his rookie campaign.
With Gardner Minshew, last year's backup quarterback in Indy, signing with the Las Vegas Raiders this week, the Colts get a proven replacement in Flacco. Flacco's arm strength should also be an asset over Minshew, who was often reluctant to throw the ball deep. This is something Colts coach Shane Steichen admitted was lacking in the Colts offense last season. With Richardson and Flacco, the Colts now have two of the biggest weapons in the NFL.
Flacco signed with the Browns' practice squad in November following a season-ending shoulder injury to starting quarterback Deshaun Watson. Two weeks later, Flacco made his first start. He became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 250 yards and multiple touchdowns in his first five games with a new team.
Flacco also propelled the Browns to a four-game winning streak and fifth place in the AFC playoffs. He finished the regular season with 1,616 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions in five games.
Cleveland, however, fell in the first round of the playoffs to the Houston Texans. Flacco threw pick-sixes on consecutive possessions in the second half of the 45-14 loss.
Flacco, 39, won the Super Bowl with the Baltimore Ravens in 2013 and was named Super Bowl MVP. He totaled 43,936 yards and 245 touchdowns in a career that also included time with the Denver Broncos, New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles.
ESPN's Jake Trotter and Stephen Holder contributed to this report.
