The veteran is free agent. Should the Colts look to bring him back?
Joe Flacco got much more action in 2024 for the Indianapolis Colts than anyone not named “Joe Flacco” would have liked to have seen. Injuries and personal conduct issues forced the 39-year old signal caller into action for the majority of seven games last year. While having a veteran with a steady presence can be ideal to pair with a young quarterback, seeing him take as many snaps as Flacco did was not. When he did see the field, he wasn’t terrible. Then again, he wasn’t that great either. It begs the question, especially given Anthony Richardson’s injury history and Flacco having spent a year around the team and system, if the Colts should bring him back for another go.
On the year, Flacco had twelve touchdowns to seven interceptions and had a substantially better completion percentage than Richardson at 65.3%. Then again, who didn’t? This isn’t a comparison between Flacco and Richardson, however. Overall, as a back up, the Colts could have done worse than Flacco. The question is, can they do better, and can they bring in someone who is better suited for the future? Chris Ballard has spoken about increasing the level of competition across the entire roster and even singled out the quarterback position. Flacco isn’t that type of guy because he isn’t a true threat.
The Colts needs to instead focus on bringing in more of a Geno Smith or Sam Darnold type of player. A quarterback on the younger side that can push Richardson, allow the Colts to evaluate what they have, and maybe even have a resurgence with a new team. This very well could be a make or break year for Richardson. If he can’t stay healthy and the back up comes in and impresses, it could lead to more options moving forward. Someone like Flacco on the roster is never more than a year to year deal and those years are running out quickly. Flacco can still win a franchise a few games, but the Colts need to look towards the future instead of present day.
There are worse options than Joe Flacco, but that doesn’t mean he is a good one. Turn back the clock 5-6 years and I would be singing a different tune. This could be Flacco’s last season and would lead the Colts into a dead end if Anthony Richardson can’t find his footing in year three. Bring in a younger quarterback with a chip on his shoulder to push Richardson. Ideally, Richardson takes off and this is all a moot point. If not, at least you get a look at one more potential option before heading back to the drawing board.
