The Ravens have their quarterback of the present and future in Lamar Jackson, but questions remain about their franchise QB of the past. The Ravens want to trade Joe Flacco in order to recoup something for the one-time Super Bowl champion, and they’re confident they can get a solid return, but not everyone in the football world is convinced. 
“At the end of the day, if I was picking what would happen, I would say that he will be released,” said former NFL GM Charley Casserly told Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. “I have a hard time believing somebody is going to trade for that contract with the uncertainty of Joe this late in his career.”
Even with the dearth of quality QBs out there, there’s no doubt about it – Flacco’s contract is an issue. He has three years and $63MM to go on a deal that has no guaranteed money remaining, but still calls for a substantial cap number in 2019.
“You have to take on the $18.5MM to make the trade, unless the Ravens are willing to eat more salary to facilitate a trade,” former agent Joel Corry told Zrebiec. “You’re going to have to really want to get rid of the guy and get a draft pick to start eating salary.”
On the plus side, there are potential suitors for 34-year-old. The Jaguars are reportedly mulling a Flacco trade, the Redskins probably need a QB to fill in for Alex Smith this year, and clubs like the Dolphins, Panthers, Broncos may or may not be in the QB market depending on how things break. And, this year’s free agent crop is no hot shakes outside of Nick Foles and Teddy Bridgewater. In theory, these teams and others could wait to see whether Flacco is released outright, but that might not be a gamble worth taking.
Ultimately, do you think the Ravens will find a trade for Flacco? Cast your vote here and back up your choice in the comment section below (poll link for app users):
I’ll be surprised if they didn’t if they didn’t go back to him when he was healthy. Than his days with the Raven are number
I can see the jags or the redskins going after Flacco they have no QBs worth drafting the jags have enough cap money to take a chance on Flacco
Literally the last sentence in the Jags mulling trade article “The team is projected to be over the cap, so a Flacco trade would need to be accompanied by roster adjustments elsewhere.” instead of talking out of your backside thinking you know what you’re talking about do some research my guy.
Do people not understand what the poll is asking? Why would any team give up a pick and take on his enormous contract when you can get a better QB for cheaper in Foles, or a younger guy in Bridgewater? He’s worth taking a risk on in FA but 3/63 is way too much. I’ll bet everything he gets released
I totally agree, a release looks like a more likely scenario.
You aren’t taking on a full 3/63 though. You’re essentially taking an average of 1/21 for a 3 year possibility w/ no guaranteed money as it’s all base salary.
As opposed to signing him as a FA, which would likely entail giving various bonuses and consequentially creating potential dead cap money if you want to release him after a year.
There’s also the chance that you just don’t land him in FA, so parting with a draft pick is just wiping out that risk if he’s your guy.
We can look at Flacco and say he was never worth the contract he got, but there are enough factors that may make it worth the trade if you need a QB. If a needy team gives up a 4th to obtain him because they want flexibility moving forward and don’t like any QBs in this draft, then it’s not a bad deal for them.
21 per is not out of line for a guy with 2 rings and a career record of 96-67. That is a paltry 3 mill more than the Bears coughed up for backup Mike Glennon who provided them will something like 250 snaps and one win.
Exactly. And those 3 years come back loaded, meaning the breakdown is:
Year 1: $18.5M
Year 2: $20.25M
Year 3: $24.25M
Last year, to franchise tag a QB, you were looking at $23M. Now, I don’t think any of the teams who would be considering Flacco are in a position to debate a franchise tag vs a trade, but it gives us an idea of QB value. If you plan on holding him 1, or even 2 years, the value isn’t bad.
You are an a**hole!
Flacco is a giant leap from Bridgewater even with his age. And the team who signs Foles is going to be in a similar spot the Texans were in when they signed Brock. In my eyes there are 3 options. 1: Stay in BAL and play back up and mentor to Jackson. 2: Gets traded to the Raiders because Gruden is a numbskull who wants nothing more to get Carr out of town. Or 3: The jags trade Ramsey and Bortles to the Raiders for 2 first rounders this year and something in next years draft so they make room to take on Flaccos contract
I feel dumber having read this. There’s absolutely less than 0% chance that any of your options happen
There was an article on the Jags’ sbnation site showing a lot of cuts they could make to ease cap issues.
Right now straight up cutting Bortles saves them $4.5M in cap (his base for 2019 is $16M + his $5M signing bonus).
If they potentially want to trade for Flacco w/o reworking his deal, they’d just need to find another $13.5M in space (which seemed fairly easy when I read the article).
Why would the Raiders give up that for Bortles
Lol foles suck he a system player. Anybody that trades for or sign is gonna regret big time
I think they’ll keep him. Sooner or later Jackson is gonna get crushed.
They aren’t keeping him with the cap hit he has for them.
RGIII will be re-signed to be the backup or they’ll pick up Tyrod Taylor.
Who tf gunna want to pay him that contract to be a backup lol
You do not want someone like Flacco backing up Jackson. Each QB has a totally different skillset. If QB gets hurt in early in the game, the other QB will have trouble executing it. RG 3 or Taylor make much more sense as a backup for Jackson. Elway might want Flacco, however.
Good lord…. How bad is Joe Flacco to have Lamar Jackson take over.
The real Question, what QB will be drafted by the Ravens in the 1st round after the 2021 season?
I think dolphins should sign him and then draft Will Grier. then let Grier sit for 2 years behind Flacco and learn. this way u have 2 years to make a o line so that the future qb doesn’t get killed and injuries and get scared as you can see what happened to TH he’s tough but he had like limited blocking only like 1 or 2 blockers a season really he had no line and got hit so much . dolphins need Flacco to help groom the rookie qb while they get a ol that can block just my 2 cents but I would not trade for Flacco unless Ravens take a hit with his salary