The Cleveland Browns benched Joe Flacco in Week 2, and one insider expects the team to make a full-time benching soon.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski confirmed Flacco will start in Week 3 when Cleveland hosts the Green Bay Packers. However, Browns insider Jason Lloyd of The Athletic believes Cleveland will bench Flacco for good come Oct. 19 against the Miami Dolphins.
“Stefanski said he’s not thinking about a quarterback change, and it’s probably too soon to go to Gabriel anyway, particularly with what lies ahead on the schedule,” Lloyd wrote. “Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers would be an impossible first test next week, followed by the Detroit Lions on the road, the Minnesota Vikings in London, and the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road.
“Throwing a third-round rookie into any of those environments would be difficult for his first start, making the Oct. 19 game against Miami the most realistic rest stop to change quarterbacks — provided Flacco holds up that long,” Lloyd added.
The insider makes a fair point, as the Dolphins game is the easiest game on the schedule for a rookie quarterback to make his first start.
But, as Lloyd notes, Flacco will need to play well enough up until then to not be benched by then. But, the insider believes Cleveland will have that game circled as the potential first start for Dillon Gabriel.
Flacco Not Concerned About Job Status
Although Flacco was benched in Week 2, the veteran quarterback isn’t concerned about his job status.
The veteran knows he needs to be better, and he says that is the goal for him to play better and give the Browns a chance to win.
“I can’t worry about that stuff anyway,” Flacco said after Sunday’s blowout loss against his former team. “It’s honestly not on my mind. You know, I gotta go out there and just play, play my game, play the way I know how to, lead this team the best I can. All that other stuff, it’s out of my control.
“It is what it is. I mean, the only thing I can control is how I play and how this team shows up every day. So it really isn’t in the thought process.”
Before getting benched against the Baltimore Ravens, Flacco struggled as he went 25-for-45 for 199 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception.
Browns Coach Not Putting Blame on QB
Despite Flacco being benched in Week 2, Stefanski says the veteran will start in Week 3.
Although Flacco struggled, Stefanski believes the team didn’t play well enough, so he won’t put the blame on the quarterback.
“Yeah, you know, we didn’t play well enough on offense. And, we didn’t coach well enough on offense, and it’s never going to be about one person,” Stefanski said. “Joe (Flacco) knows there’s plays that he can be better, and it obviously starts with protecting the ball in this game, and he understands that, and that’s our focus moving forward.”
However, the Browns will have their hands full in Week 3 as Cleveland hosts the Packers. The Browns are 8.5-point home underdogs.
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