Joe Flacco now Browns No. 2 QB, would start if Dorian Thompson-Robinson isn't cleared

LOS ANGELES — Kevin Stefanski didn't have an answer to the question about the Browns' quarterback situation on Monday. Two days later, the coach had settled on a direction to take.

Stefanski said before Wednesday's practice at UCLA that Joe Flacco is going into the week as the team's No. 2 quarterback behind rookie starter Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Now, the hang-up in that is there's no indication one way or the other about Thompson-Robinson's availability for Sunday's game at the Los Angeles Rams.

"Yeah, we'll work through that throughout the week," Stefanski said Wednesday. "Joe's the backup this week as Dorian is progressing through the protocol."

Thompson-Robinson left the Browns loss last Sunday at the Denver Broncos with a concussion after taking a hit from Denver's Baron Browning after throwing a pass. He remained in concussion protocol as the Browns started practice on Wednesday.

That meant Flacco, the 16-year veteran who is currently on the practice squad, took the No. 1 reps in practice. It also means he would start against Los Angeles if the rookie fifth-round pick can't go.

"No reason to make any decisions just yet," Stefanski said. "We'll see how it goes."

Thompson-Robinson was at Wednesday's practice, but not a participant. Instead, back in a familiar setting after having just rewritten UCLA's record books over the course of a career that concluded last fall, he spent part of the practice open to the media chatting with various Bruins assistant coaches.

That's an added layer to the concussion issue for Thompson-Robinson, as it could end up spoiling what was to be a homecoming of sorts for him. The Browns are spending all week in Los Angeles, and are utilizing UCLA's practice fields and football facility to prepare for the game against the Rams.

Instead of the rookie making a triumphant return, it could be the veteran getting an unexpected next act to his career. The 38-year-old Flacco had been working out at his suburban Philadelphia since the end of last season until the Browns called him two weeks ago for a workout when Deshaun Watson went on season-ending injured reserve needing shoulder surgery.

Now, Flacco finds himself as potentially — probably likely — the fourth to start a game at quarterback this season for the Browns. The challenge of that ramp-up, which was in its 10th day Wednesday, is something Stefanski dismissed as "part of football."

"Yeah, no different than a lot of the pros that you bring in, whether it's a lineman or a quarterback or a defensive back," Stefanski said. "You spend a lot of time in the meeting rooms, you spend a lot of time with your coaches to get ramped up. So Joe's done a nice job."

Flacco last played in the New York Jets' season finale last January, completing 18 of 33 passes for 149 yards in a loss to the Miami Dolphins. That was one of his four starts and five appearances that season with the Jets.

The three seasons Flacco spent with the Jets were thought to be a final act for him, especially after no team brought him in during either the offseason or training camp. The man who was the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player during his 11-year span as the Baltimore Ravens' quarterback, though, has gotten himself up to speed enough to take the backup's job over P.J. Walker, another quarterback who got his start with the Browns this season on the practice squad.

On top of that, Flacco was on the sidelines in Denver, so that gave him another vantage point of the Browns' gameday operations.

"I think Joe, as you guys know, has been in a bunch of different systems, been in a bunch of different buildings, so he knows how it works," Stefanski said. "He knows how different operations have different nuance, if you will. So he's getting up to speed with what we do. He's done a nice job."

Walker was the only other active quarterback on the roster in Denver, where he came in for Thompson-Robinson and closed out the game. He had been the backup to Watson coming out of the Week 5 bye. He led the team to a win Week 6 win over the San Francisco 49ers in his first start, then came off the bench the next week to replace a re-injured Watson and lead the Browns to a win at the Indianapolis Colts.

The fourth-year pro started one more game, a heart-breaking loss at the Seattle Seahawks. Thompson-Robinson took over as the starter two weeks ago to lead the Browns to a last-second win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Joe Flacco now No. 2, would start if Dorian Thompson-Robinson can't go