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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Joe Flacco has hit the open market, and the Colts have decided to go in another direction for their backup QB job. They signed former New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings quarterback Daniel Jones to back up Anthony Richardson, though many are rightfully convinced that Jones will end up as the starter, due to Richardson's severe accuracy issues.
For Flacco, though, he showed that while he's not a starting-caliber QB, he has some left in the tank as a backup, and can serviceably run an offense when the starter isn't able to play due to injury. He's now 40 years old, but we've seen several quarterbacks play into their 40s, so that doesn't mean he can't still help a team win a few games when the QB1 is hurt.
The majority of NFL teams are interested in the services of a good backup at the hardest position to play in the league, so he should have a market. And for those that have solid offensive lines, good pass-catching weapons, good coaching, or easy schedules, Flacco could have more fantasy relevant games left in the tank, which is what a lot of us care about. Fans of the team he signs would also like for him to play well, and I believe he still can, so let's break down the top landing spots for Flacco in free agency ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
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Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are in better shape than they might seem offensively. Obviously, the addition of superstar (and possibly best in the league at his position) tight end Brock Bowers is a massive boost for whoever plays QB there. He was nearly impossible to cover 1-on-1 last season, and should only improve as time goes on. Also obviously, quarterback Geno Smith will be the starter, but Flacco could serve as a more capable backup than Aidan O'Connell while he continues to develop.
BROCK BOWERS 57 YARDS FOR HIS FIRST CAREER TD 🔥 pic.twitter.com/yxC2TlWD8m
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) October 6, 2024
The offensive line isn't the greatest, but Flacco can effectively deal with pressure for the most part. And the team's defense hasn't been particularly great, so Flacco would be right at home -- he'd be given plenty of opportunities to pass the ball. If the defense doesn't take major steps in 2025, they will probably still struggle. Losing the heart and soul of the D, linebacker Robert Spillane, who signed with the New England Patriots, won't help with that.
Jakobi Meyers pic.twitter.com/Is4s5Zrr12
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) February 27, 2025
WR Jakobi Meyers also continues to be one of the NFL's most underrated wideouts, mostly because he's had poor or middling QB play his entire career now. He's a crisp route-runner that consistently wins his reps against both man and zone coverage. And the team is likely to draft help at the position, considering they have very little depth (i.e. no good WRs) behind him on the depth chart. This would give Flacco yet another weapon to help him produce.
It's unlikely that the Raiders sign Flacco, though, as they're likely more interested in continuing to develop AOC and win now with Smith, but it would be a good place for him to land.
Cincinnati Bengals
The offensive line remains a question mark heading into 2025, but it's always been that way. It hasn't seemed to stop quarterback Joe Burrow from being one of the most prolific passers in the league in seasons where he doesn't get injured, and on a per-game basis. Flacco would immediately feel perfectly at home with the elite receiving weapons Cincinnati has to offer in wide receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Tight end Mike Gesicki, who just signed a contract extension with them, is also a good option to get the ball to.
Every catch from Ja'Marr Chase's monster night on MNF:
🐅 14 catches
🐅 177 yards
🐅 2 TD pic.twitter.com/v0Wh55L6k4— NFL (@NFL) December 10, 2024
Chase and Higgins are two of the best WRs in the league and are on the same team, which isn't something you usually see happen. And while both of their contract situations are technically under development, the team has repeatedly claimed it intends to retain both of them. It's hard to think of a better situation for a QB. I'm not the biggest fan of Bengals head coach Zac Taylor's play calling, but it's not as important when you have such elite talent catching the ball.
Tee Higgins having perhaps the game of his career in what could be his final home game as a Bengal.
- 11 catches
- 131 yards
- 3 TDs (GW in OT)Cincy might have to just back up the brinks truck.pic.twitter.com/pBpFVr4gkr
— Mike Kennedy (@MikeKennedyNFL) December 29, 2024
And a team dedicating this much of their cap space to three of their players (Burrow, Chase, and Higgins) won't exactly be flush with cash to play their defense. Were Flacco to sign here for a season, and if Burrow got hurt, he could immediately become a prolific passer yet again.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams released wide receiver Cooper Kupp, which might seem like a blow to their offense, but his decline in level of play has been extremely sharp, and he's nothing like he was in his triple crown season in 2021. But they just signed WR Davante Adams in free agency, without having to sacrifice a draft pick, to pair with wideout Puka Nacua, who's already one of the league's best receivers. This would present a fantastic situation for Flacco.
PUKA NACUA
AS CLUTCH AS IT GETS pic.twitter.com/nZ1ZlSxk37
— Jackson Payne (@jackson5payne) January 19, 2025
Obviously, it's not reasonable to expect him to start, but it's unlikely any team signs Flacco to be the starter anyway. Instead, he'll be a backup and insurance option in case the starter gets hurt. And quarterback Matthew Stafford is now 37 years old. QBs in their late 30s and beyond are much more injury-prone than they are in earlier stages of their careers, so it would make sense for L.A. to be proactive about this.
Wide receiver YPRR vs zone and man coverage in 2024
Puka Nacua is still on top against zone (by a lot) and ranks 7th versus man pic.twitter.com/n5ew2EhkaY
— Wyatt Miller (@wymill07) January 27, 2025
Nacua is one of the most efficient WRs in the league because he's simply one of the best, and was ranked by Pro Football Focus as the No. 1 wideout in the league, with an astronomically good 92.8 grade. Add in Adams, who probably looked a lot worse than he actually was with the Las Vegas Raiders due to not wanting to try on such a bad offense (his QB was Gardner Minshew, so it's understandable) and Flacco immediately would be in a fantastic situation here.
Davante Adams will add a variety of dimensions to this offense, even at 32-33 years of age. We should get the best Adams has to offer before he finishes his career. His best chance & quest for a championship before his career is over starts right now in LA.
Excited for it! pic.twitter.com/h4omVL1xuf
— RAMS ON FILM (@RamsOnFilm) March 11, 2025
The Rams had some struggles along the offensive line, but with less injuries, those should improve. And they'll still have elite head coach and offensive mind Sean McVay, who's consistently led one of the league's best passing and rushing attacks combined, despite often having a roster littered with injuries. McVay always gets the best out of his pass-catchers, running backs, and quarterbacks.
Minnesota Vikings
It feels like cheating to put the Vikings on this list, but they declined to extend their starting quarterback from last season, Sam Darnold, and appear to be set on rolling with J.J. McCarthy as their QB1 moving forward. But he injured his meniscus in the 2024 preseason, and had to have surgery and miss his entire rookie campaign.
JJ McCarthy after realizing he’s leading the best roster a first year starter has ever had: pic.twitter.com/DUk3GgMKa7
— SleeperVikings (@SleeperVikings) March 11, 2025
It's not a big exaggeration to say the Vikings have one of the best situations for a quarterback ever. They have elite receiving talent (wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and tight end T.J. Hockenson, still young-ish and more recovered from his ACL tear from 2023), one of the best offensive lines in the NFL that just got more reinforcements, and an elite offensive-minded head coach in Kevin O'Connell.
Flacco would immediately be in a position to succeed if McCarthy went down with an injury, and he'd have plenty of time to throw the ball and execute O'Connell's excellent schemes. It would be a dream for him to finish his career here, I'd imagine.
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