The Write Zone

So, did anyone see that coming? Even the Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said, ” The Joe (Flacco) trade took us by surprise… Not something that we saw coming.”

Since Joe Flacco was benched before the Vikings game in London, the Browns have realized that Dillon Gabriel has the energy and fight that veteran Flacco didn’t possess as much. So when the Bengals proposed a trade, it was quick to happen, and Cleveland walked away with a 2026 fifth round draft pick in exchange for a 2026 pick and Flacco. 

The Browns needed a solid young quarterback that they could rely on to try and help them turn the season around as Gabriel is the 41st quarterback that they’ve had since 1999. But for The Bengals, ever since Joe Burrow came in contact with turf toe and was placed on injured reserve, it’s been tough on their backup quarterback Jake Browning to try and live up to Burrow’s legacy. The Bengals have arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL league, but we’ve all seen what has been happening when Burrow is out of the game. Everything kind of just crumbles for them, and with their star quarterback being out for quite a while, they basically just need someone that they can rely on to give the Bengals some more wins before Burrow returns, but even then, Flacco is definitely not the greatest quarterback in the NFL. I’m sure most people will agree with me on that, but he is a sufficient backup that can fill the gap that has been in the Bengals’ offensive line since Burrow was helped off the field in that second week. Yeah, Flacco wasn’t great for the Browns–only completing two touchdown passes and throwing six interceptions in those few games that he played– but honestly I think this trade worked out for both teams. 

Now the Browns have a chance to play Shedeur Sanders, who would have been a first-round draft pick this year but had some media problems instead  slipped down to 5th. A lot of people are eager to see this rookie quarterback take the field. Dillon Gabriel is a good quarterback, and he was great for the Sooners and Ducks, concluding his college career with 18,722 passing yards and 189 total touchdowns, both of which set FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision- aka. highest level of college football) records. But Sanders is also pretty respectable and a lot of people were having higher hopes for him than just landing a backup position for the Browns. So if Gabriel has a bad game or two or just has a bad season, the Browns might make their 42nd quarterback switch in the off-season or even before the playoffs and try to get their offense to align with their defense, who can hold off strong opponents.

I honestly wouldn’t be shocked if both teams start making a strong comeback, leaving their tough records behind as the season goes on. We’re going into Week 6 now, and that’s not too far into the NFL season- we’ve got a third of the way to the playoffs, and there’s still time for these two teams to swing their records around, to take wins that are easy and also maybe to pull off some upsets with these new quarterbacks. For The Bangles when Joe Burrow is back in the game it will probably look like an entirely different team, because Burrow just carries that sort of ‘I’m the leader of this team, follow me and I can lead you to victories over tough teams to beat’. But if Flacco can give the Bengals some hope, Burrow will have a strong team to come back into the picture to, and maybe spin the team around and possibly push their way to the playoffs. I don’t think that the Browns are quite ready to win their the division or to get a wild card into these playoffs, but I think if Gabriel or Sanders– depending on which one of them ends this NFL season or is starting the next– can grow and evolve with this team, they might just be able to pull off a comeback that would definitely go in the NFL history books.

What I took away from this trade is that it was for the better of both teams. If you want to work your team up to where the Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, or the Eagles are today, then you need to take some risks. Make some unexpected changes, put in some rookies who could flip what everyone thinks on its head, search out and put in the underdogs who might potentially throw the entire season for them. I think what needs to happen now is that they need to  get what they need, or even what could benefit them in the next year or so, and start working their way from the bottom to the top of the NFL.