BEREA — General manager Andrew Berry said the Browns would “absolutely love” to have quarterback Joe Flacco back next season.
“He played winning football for us,” Berry said Monday in his season wrapup news conference. “He did a great job of coming in and really playing at a high level that allowed us to go on a run at the end of the year, play really good football in December.”
Berry acknowledged the desire to re-sign Flacco, who didn’t join the team until Nov. 20, is only part of the equation to whether he returns. Flacco, 39, could get a better offer elsewhere, and Berry compared the situation to the one with quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who left last offseason to sign with Washington.
“I want to bring all of our good players back, but there are constraints to that on really kind of both sides of the aisle,” Berry said. “But would have no problem having Joe back.”
Flacco would be the backup to Deshaun Watson, but Berry said the dynamic of Flacco lurking behind Watson isn’t an issue.
“Zero considerations because of how both individuals are,” Berry said. “It’s not a concern internally at all.”
Berry said the plan is to always have three quarterbacks on the roster, called the backup quarterback a “top-30” spot on the roster and noted the organization has spent on No. 2 quarterbacks during his four years as general manager.
Berry reiterated Watson’s recovery from shoulder surgery is going well.
** Berry plans to bring back running back Nick Chubb, whose contract will need to be restructured. Chubb needed two surgeries to repair a gruesome knee injury sustained in Week 2 against Pittsburgh and is expected to return at some point next season.
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“Nobody wants to see that carry in Pittsburgh be the last time he carries the ball for the Cleveland Browns,” Berry said. “And obviously there are things that we’ll have to work through, but that would not be our intention, as well. We obviously will work to keep him on the team.”
** Berry wouldn’t talk about the changes made to the coaching staff, including parting ways with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. Berry wants to wait until the staff is set before discussing it.
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