The Indianapolis Colts received a high grade from ESPN’s Seth Walder for how they navigated the offseason.
In addition to Walder handing out an overall grade for each team, he also had to pick the move he liked the most and the one he disliked the most.
For the Colts, the move that Walder liked the most was signing Michael Pittman to a three-year deal worth $23.3 million per season. On the flip side, the move he wasn’t a fan of was the team’s decision to sign Joe Flacco.
“I’m skeptical of signing Flacco as Richardson’s backup,” wrote Walder. “While he played well in Cleveland last season, there’s a reason he went unsigned until partway into the season.”
Flacco was the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2023 after joining the Cleveland Browns about halfway through the season and leading them to the playoffs. Flacco would complete 63 percent of his passes for 1,923 yards with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in six games.
To Walder’s point, perhaps the Colts could have waited longer to sign Flacco or someone else, but with only Sam Ehlinger on the roster behind Anthony Richardson, another addition needed to be made at some point in time.
There is also value that Flacco’s experience can provide for Anthony Richardson, who has just 98 career dropbacks, whether that be in the flim room, on the practice field, or on the sidelines on Sundays. Not to mention that if the Colts are in a pinch, Flacco can go out there and win games.
Flacco signed a one-year deal worth $4.5 million and came with a $5 million cap hit–nothing that is going to break the bank for the Colts, who currently rank top 10 in salary cap space available. For some context, Marcus Mariota and Tyrod Taylor – backups – are earning $6 million per year. Andy Dalton is earning $5 million per year to be Bryce Young’s backup.
For the reasons mentioned, I wouldn’t classify this signing as a move that should be “disliked.”
