The Joe Flacco era is effectively over in Baltimore. The Ravens agreed to trade the quarterback to the Broncos, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). The Ravens will receive a fourth-round pick in return, Albert Breer of The MMQB tweets. Denver will send the selection it acquired in the Demaryius Thomas trade (No. 23 in the round) to Baltimore.
Technically, the trade cannot be processed until the new league year begins on Wednesday, March 13, but the two sides have a deal in principle. The Ravens will absorb a $16MM dead money hit from the trade and, as expected, move forward with Lamar Jackson as their top QB. Meanwhile, they’ll save roughly $10MM against the cap in 2019, enabling them to strengthen the rest of the offense by landing a playmaker or two in free agency.
The Broncos have yet to speak with Flacco about his contract, but they do not anticipate any issues if they keep his salary of $18.5MM unchanged for 2019, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (on Twitter). Effectively, he’d move forward under a prove-it deal that the Broncos can either move on from in 2020 or re-work.
New Broncos head coach Vic Fangio spent a season in Baltimore, so he has some familiarity with the 34-year-old. Former Broncos executive Gary Kubiak was also a champion of Flacco, which may have influenced GM John Elway‘s decision to trade for him.
The Broncos signed Case Keenum to a lucrative contract last offseason, but the arrival of Flacco could put him out of work. Keenum has one year to go on his two-year, $36MM pact, but the Broncos can shed the deal if they are willing to take a $10MM dead money hit.
Flacco was overshadowed by Jackson last season, but he still more-than-serviceable in his nine games. The veteran signal-caller completed 61.2% of his passes for 2,465 yards, 12 touchdowns, and six interceptions. Coach John Harbaugh was also very complimentary of his skills.
“Joe Flacco is going to play really well in this league. Joe can still play — I think we saw that the first half of the season,” Harbaugh said in January. “Joe’s going to have a market. There’s going to be a lot of teams that are going to want Joe because they understand that. I’ll be in Joe’s corner wherever he’s at. He’s special. Joe Flacco is a great talent; he’s an even better person. He’s the best QB in the history of the Ravens without question…He’s going to do just fine.”
The Flacco deal will have ramifications elsewhere as one QB-needy team is no longer in the Nick Foles sweepstakes. The Giants, Dolphins, Jaguars, Redskins, and the incumbent Eagles all figure to kick the tires on Foles, but the Broncos are almost certainly out of the picture.
The question is ‘Will the Broncos regret this trade before or after the start of training camp?’
Interesting move. Curious as to what Denver had to give up. probably a mid round pick and a swap of picks maybe?
Hell yes!!!
wow
Sorry Denver. Good luck. This guy should only be playing for the AAF
I guess that’s the end of the Case Keenum experiment
The string of poor QB decisions by John Elway continues. A guy like Nick Foles would have made a lot more sense for Denver than a declining, already overrated Joe Flacco does.
Yep, I agree. I don’t like this move for the Broncos.
Nick Foles would have cost more money with a longer commitment and been equally as bad
+1 Foles is really good, but too inconsistent for his market. I’m not a huge fan of Flacco, but it’s not a bad move. Keenum is still good as an overpaid 2nd string. Then if the Broncos can draft a QB, they’re set to tackle other areas.
yup
Yup. Teams should work a trade for Matt Stafford.
No teams want Stafford with his current deal. And DET has no back up plan at QB so?
Stafford or Carr both have typical QB salaries but if the draft capital cost was reasonable, I’d take them over Flacco. Two no. 1s for Stafford or a second got Carr.
Foles outside the Eagles is not that good and it will be proven
it already has been
Declining Flacco? He was on track to throw for about 4,300 yards, and around 25-30 TDs and 12 picks. He’s over payed but he’s miles better than keenum and Lock whom Elway is in love with
I see where you get 4300 from, but 25-30 TDs? He had 12 in 9 games. That would have been quite a resurgence
LOL!!!
Flacco would’ve been a great fit for Jacksonville. Not sure Lamar Jackson will ever learn to throw a football though.
Another bad QB decision by Johnny.
The Fighting Blue Hen lives on…
<- was a blue hen as well lol
Horrible option, unless their hope is to suck again this year and draft one of the guys next season. Elway now for certain needs to go, the constant aging veteran deal is tiresome, and less than productive.
I’ll be interested to see what he does in a new system. Tbh he hasn’t had the best receivers the last few years.
After Ray Rice left, Baltimore hasn’t has any good RBs, WRs, or TEs…
Elway is going to avoid drafting a long-term QB again, rely on Flacco for too long, and it’ll blow up in his face
Given Flacco’s age and decline, I think Elway is smart enough to still draft a QB. I would look at Flacco as a stop gap and a definitive sign that Elway regrets the Keenum acquisition.
I hope they can trade Keenum and draft Daniel Jones from Duke.
As a Chiefs fan, I am delighted by this move!
You still have Andy Reid, don’t be too happy
As if Reid is a bad coach. Get out of here.
I guess if you’re ok with regular season champions. Sure, Reid is a good coach.
If Dee Ford hadn’t been offsides, KC is in the SB. Reid is better than most coaches.
And Denver has a better head coach? I think not.
Just how many coaches and QB’s does John get to hire and fire before somebody holds him accountable?
Keenum to fins.
Stafford to Fins.
Keenum back up in MN again
Ravens shouldn’t think Jackson is a lock to start. You can’t run a college offense in the NFL
I think that 4th quarter against the Chargers will he fools gold because 95% of the game showed that Lamar Jackson didn’t look like an nfl qb.
Glad to see the Ravens putting their eggs into the Lamar basket. I mean he did great for a few games until the league figured him out. looking back at winning super bowl quarterbacks how many are the running style like Lamar? Good luck wit dat.
Didn’t see this coming but it shouldn’t come as shock I guess. I do like Keenum I just think it wasn’t the right fit for him there in Denver. Changes how I thought things would play out, I expected Flacco to go to the Jags or Redskins and I thought Keenum would get another year there. I do think Flacco will go well there though.
Keenum to skins for 1 year
Stafford to Skins.
Thank you Joe. I’ll never forget the mile high miracle.
Good fill move by the Broncos. Next year’s quarterback class for the NFL Draft should be much stronger, especially after all the graduate transfers get another year of competition under their belts.
What a bad trade for a mediocre QB for Denver! A guy who just won a super bowl behind a great running game and defense, because other than that the guy can’t play worth shit
This gives the Ravens a reason to draft a QB in the 1st round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Robert griffin 3 is a more than serviceable option
Agreed
Joe flacco will b top 3 qb this year
Joe is a proven winner when he has a defense that can support him and Fangio has proven he can build a solid defense. As a short term solution (until the ownership mess is sorted out) this is as good as your likely to get.