The Cleveland Browns have traded veteran quarterback, and fan favorite, Joe Flacco to Cincinnati in exchange for a 2026 fifth round draft pick. The Browns also sent a 2026 sixth round pick to the Bengals. Flacco, who led the Browns to the playoffs during a remarkable five game stretch in 2023, was recently benched for rookie Dillon Gabriel.
Ideastream Public Media’s sports commentator Terry Pluto said Flacco was having trouble scoring points while also committing turnovers.
“In his first four games, the Browns failed to score more than 17 points and he made eight turnovers and he threw only two touchdown passes," Pluto said "Flacco is a guy that does throw interceptions and sometimes loses the ball. But the flip side, usually with Flacco, is that he throws touchdown passes.”
When the Browns brought in Flacco during the 2023 season, he threw 13 touchdown passes while turning the ball over eight times in five games.
Pluto believes this season was probably tougher for Flacco.
“Some of it was probably Joe's fault, he is 40," Pluto said. "The offense just looked clunky like it looked all of last year."
Last week, the Browns turned to rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who was selected in the third round of the NFL draft. The 24-year-old played six years in college for three different schools; University of Central Florida, Oklahoma and Oregon.
Pluto described Gabriel's debut in London as promising.
“I mean, he didn’t make any turnovers," Pluto said. "He threw two touchdown passes. He certainly looked poised.”
Still, the Browns scored just 17 points versus the Vikings.
“In the last 10 games, the last five of ‘24 (and) the first five of ‘25, the Browns have failed to score 20 points,” Pluto said. “You have to go back 24 years to find another NFL team that failed to score 20 points in at least 10 games.”
Pluto said it’s likely weighing heavily on head coach Kevin Stefanski.
“Part of his expertise and the reason he got the job here way back when, and a couple times when he’s taken teams to the playoffs, he’s had pretty good offenses,” Pluto said.
Pluto is unable to pinpoint exactly what the problem is, noting that while the offensive line has struggled, they do have a promising running back in rookie Quinshon Judkins.
“It’s like there’s this malaise over the offense," Pluto said. "I can’t even explain it.”
Pluto also questioned whether Stefanski’s confidence is wavering.
“What plays to call (or) what quarterback to use, it looks like just an offense that doesn’t have much confidence in itself,” Pluto said. “Now, early in the season, their schedule was against some teams that are very good. Nonetheless, the ladder is not real high to climb to get to 20 points.”
The Browns face a tough test with a road game in Pittsburgh this Sunday.
“That is like being sent to football Devil’s Island for them over the years," Pluto said. "So, that’ll be a real test to see how Dillon Gabriel holds up. I’m bummed out because I just thought they’d be more interesting to watch. We’ll see if that changes, but good luck this week in Pittsburgh.”
