Indianapolis Colts Have a Top Backup Quarterback for 2024

The Indianapolis Colts once again have one of the best insurance policies at quarterback in the league.

Feb 8, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Joe Flacco during the NFL Hall of Fame Class of 2024 press conference at Resorts World Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Last season the Indianapolis Colts finished the year at 9-8, with backup signal caller Gardner Minshew commanding Shane Steichen's offense for the bulk of the campaign (Anthony Richardson missed the season after week five with a shoulder injury). Minshew had some solid metrics and showed the rest of the league how valuable a backup quarterback can be for any NFL franchise.

Since Minshew was acquired by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2024 off-season, Indianapolis continued the trend of a solid insurance policy by signing veteran passer Joe Flacco to a one-year, $4.5 million deal, per Over the Cap. Coming off a stellar return to form with the Cleveland Browns in 2023 that saw him earn Comeback Player of the Year honors, Flacco is as good a backup QB as any in the NFL.

Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated recently detailed the backup quarterback rankings, placing all 32 from worst to first. Manzano has Flacco in the top ranks and references his Super Bowl XLVII championship.

Flacco delivered one of the best comeback stories in recent memory, helping the Browns make the postseason and winning Comeback Player of the Year. He turned back the clock and resembled the quarterback who helped the Ravens beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl. The 39-year-old posted a 5–1 record, averaged 323.2 passing yards per game and added 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

- Gilbert Manzano | Sports Illustrated

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Manzano has Flacco as the third-best backup in the NFL behind only Jake Browning (Cincinnati Bengals) and Minshew (Raiders). For Flacco to return to this kind of regard and respect is great work, especially considering he nearly faded into obscurity from 2019-2022 with mixed results as a field general.

The addition of Flacco is a solid one, adding valuable experience to the quarterback room that will only help a player like Richardson grow professionally. For Flacco's bounce-back 2023, he put up 123/204 passes for 1,616 pass yards, 13 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. Flacco showed that he can work well in a ground-based offense and still has the arm strength to pressure defensive secondaries.

A head coach like Steichen has already displayed what he can do with a backup quarterback. Now, he has Flacco at the helm in case Richardson has to sit for any reason. While Flacco isn't as young and mobile as Minshew, he fits Steichen's scheme better and has the strong arm to maximize the vertical passing game. If Flacco has to suit up in 2024, he'll get a solid roster of weapons like Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., and Josh Downs. Of course, the hope from the Colts front office and staff is that Flacco is a mentor from the sideline and not a starting quarterback for 2024.

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