How much longer can Joe Flacco lead the Cleveland Browns offense?

The Cleveland Browns' offense has been subpar this season, and that is not a secret. While the rookies on both sides of the ball have been impressive, including guys like Quinshon Judkins, Dylan Sampson, and Harold Fannin Jr. on the offense.

The part of the offense that seems to be holding the skill players back has been Joe Flacco. Three games into the season, Flacco has thrown for 631 yards, two touchdown passes, and four interceptions. A former Browns legend recently shared his thoughts on the quarterback situation so far in Cleveland.

"A lot of overthrows, a lot of misreads."@JoshCribbs16 says Joe Flacco HAS to be better throughout the season. Do you see the offense improving? #DawgPound

Presented by @smartchoicewin_ https://t.co/X2IWJiKYUJ pic.twitter.com/KLnuMLz0Io
— The Top Dawgs Show (@TopDawgShow) September 25, 2025

Josh Cribbs, host of The Top Dawgs Show on the BIGPLAY Sports Network and the Cleveland Browns leader in kickoff return yards and punt return yards, communicated his takeaways from the film in the clip above.

“A lot of overthrows, a lot of misreads” Cribbs said. “Flacco took what the defense gave him underneath instead of what the defense gave him across the field which was a deep over route on a flee-flicker."

After the Browns grabbed their first win of the season against the Packers 13-10 on Sunday, the frustration from fans continued regarding the quarterback play. Flacco finished 21 of 36 for 142 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. His average completion was just 3.9 yards per reception on Sunday. That brings his season average to five yards per completion, a stark contrast to the 7.9 yards that Flacco put up in his five games with the Browns in 2023.

So far this season Cleveland ranks about middle of the pack in terms of passing yards per game, but near the bottom in other passing stats.

Flacco ranks 31st in passer rating at 65.9, 31st in yards per attempt at 5.0, 24th in completion percentage at 61.1%, 31st in passing EPA, which stand for Expected Points Added and stands for a baseline for a league average, in this stat Flacco is -46.5 and ranks last in the league.

While these stats are harsh, they are also in a small sample size of just three games against two presumably good defenses in Baltimore and Green Bay. The pressure is just starting to start one of the rookie quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders, and when you have those two rookies not getting opportunities fans will keep clamoring for their time to start soon with Flacco underperforming.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski did confirm after the Packers game that Flacco will continue to start moving forward, but for how much longer can Cleveland tread water?

The question will keep coming up if Flacco can’t perform better or if a change isn't made soon.