Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Cleveland Browns Quarterback Struggles – Will the Lack of Offensive Production by Joe Flacco Lead to a Change under Center for the Browns?

Joe Flacco has been unable to generate any offense for the Browns under center

Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

The fact that the Cleveland Browns are struggling to win games is not lost on anyone. But it is also true that the majority of their problems are on the offensive side of the ball, as the defense has performed to a much higher standard.

And, at the center of it all is veteran quarterback Joe Flacco, who, at 40 years of age, is just a stopgap solution for the season. However, Flacco finds himself near the bottom of multiple stats over the first four games of the season.

Joe Flacco Performances Through First Four Weeks

Through the first 4 weeks, the Cleveland Browns are averaging just 14 points per game, which ranks 31st in the league, only ahead of the Tennessee Titans, who are averaging 12.8. The Browns put up 16, 17, 13, and 10 points against the Bengals, Ravens, Packers, and the Lions.

Flacco, on his part, has also underperformed with just a 58.1% completion percentage, having completed 93 passes from 160 attempts. That places him 32nd out of 33 quarterbacks. His 6 interceptions rank second only behind the Raiders’ Geno Smith, and his 60.3 passer rating is the worst among 33 quarterbacks. Additionally, he has thrown only 2 touchdowns in 4 games.

#Browns QB Joe Flacco through four weeks:

1st in ATT (160)
32nd in CMP% (58.1)
34th in TD (2)
2nd most INTs (6)
Dead last RTG (60.3) pic.twitter.com/ej0yDygEAJ
— Grant Puskar (@grant_puskar_) September 29, 2025

Overall, these numbers are a huge letdown for a team that boasts an elite defense. The Browns are currently the best run defense team, allowing just 70.3 yards per game. Their 152.3 passing yards allowed per game is currently the 4th best in the league.

The above stats, coupled with the Browns’ record of 1-3 through the first four weeks, raise the question of whether it is time to look to the bench in search of answers under center, similar to what the New York Giants did with their rookie Jaxson Dart.

Best passer rating in week 4:

Drake Maye – 155.6
Michael Penix Jr – 126.0
CJ Stroud – 125.1
Dak Prescott – 124.9
Patrick Mahomes – 124.8

Worst passer rating:

Cam Ward – 35.4
Joe Flacco – 39.3
Justin Herbert – 57.3
Jake Browning – 69.6
Geno Smith – 73.0 pic.twitter.com/OtZzFSLrVZ
— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) September 30, 2025

Can Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders Do What Jaxson Dart Did for the Giants in Week 4?

The Browns’ depth in the quarterback room includes rookie options, third-round pick Dillon Gabriel, and fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders waiting in the wings for a shot at the professional level.

After going 0-3 and struggling to be competitive, the New York Giants decided to insert their rookie Jaxson Dart in their week 4 matchup against the 3-0 Los Angeles Chargers. To the surprise of many, Dart and the Giants went on to defeat the Chargers to earn their first win of the season.

The win over the Chargers also vaulted Dart into the history books as he became the first rookie since Phil Simms in 1979 to defeat a 3-0 or better team in his first start in the NFL.

Might be time for Joe Flacco to go be a family man

pic.twitter.com/rjUzghZrk1
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) September 28, 2025

With the Browns struggling to get any momentum going on the offense, it is probably time to give Gabriel or Sanders a shot, especially since things cannot get any worse than the current situation. Even if the rookies lack experience at this level, young blood may be able to provide other advantages, such as better mobility, scrambling out of the pocket to extend plays, and more.

Whether the Browns wish to explore a change at quarterback is something the management will have to think about, especially if Flacco’s performance continues as it has over the past 4 games. The AFC North is currently still open, with the Ravens also struggling at 1-3, and Joe Burrow set to miss most of the season for the Bengals.

Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Cleveland Browns

Dillon Gabriel

Joe Flacco

NFL

Shedeur Sanders

Devavrat Kulkarni

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I am a content writer for the NFL team, and joined The Playoffs after working with Sportskeeda and NFL Analysis as an NFL writer. After starting my professional career as a French-to-English translator, working as a content writer is a new adventure for me. I started out in the sports media field for two main reasons: my love for sports in general, especially the NFL, NBA, and Tennis, as well as my passion for writing. The best part of this job is that I get to write a variety of pieces with the freedom to explore content from various angles. It also enables me to stay up to date with the sporting world, which otherwise can be difficult to do in the day-to-day grind. In a world full of chaos, sports unite and entertain like nothing else!