Joe Flacco - Pro Football Rumors

Joe Flacco Open To Joining Eagles?

April 15th, 2020 at 12:33pm CST by Zachary Links

If the Eagles give Joe Flacco a call, it sounds like he’ll pick up the phone. When asked about the possibility of signing with Philly, the free agent quarterback indicated that he’s open to flying with the Eagles.

“I grew up with it. All my friends live and die with the Eagles,” said the South Jersey native (Twitter link via ABC’s Jeff Skversky). “There definitely be a lot of very cool things about that. You never know what the future holds.”

At this stage of his career, the one-time Super Bowl MVP profiles as a backup quarterback. The 35-year-old has been hampered by injuries for years – he missed time in 2015, played through back pain in 2017, and missed more time in 2018. In 2019, his first season with the Broncos, Flacco suffered a serious neck injury that sidelined him for the second half of the year.

Before that, Flacco turned in a 65.3% completion rate, the best of his career. However, he threw just six touchdown passes against five interceptions. In March, the Broncos waived him to take his $20.25MM in base salary off of the books for 2020. By dropping Jersey Joe, the Broncos saved $10MM+ against the cap with $13.6MM in dead money.

Given Carson Wentz‘s injury history, the Eagles can be expected to spend on a backup. They have ample cap room for the coming year and too many dollars committed for 2021, so they’ll likely target veterans on one-year deals. As it stands, Nate Sudfeld is slated to serve as Wentz’ QB2, but he has just $500K guaranteed on his new contract. Flacco could be a fit, but his friction with former Broncos offensive coordinator and current Eagles assistant Rich Scangarello may be a barrier.

Broncos To Waive Joe Flacco

March 19th, 2020 at 11:49am CST by Zachary Links

The Joe Flacco era in Denver is over. The Broncos will waive the quarterback with a failed physical designation, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter).

Flacco will join a crowded quarterback market after a rocky stretch with the Broncos. Injuries have hampered Flacco throughout his career and its only gotten worse as of late.

The former Super-Bowl MVP missed time in 2015 and 2018 and also played through back pain in 2017, but his latest neck injury was especially serious. In early November, the Broncos shut the signal caller down for the second half of the season. Up to that point of the campaign, Flacco had completed 65.3% of his passes. While that was an impressive number, he also threw just six touchdown passes against five interceptions.

Now 35, Flacco is set to enter his 13th NFL season. To date, he’s played in 171 games with 218 touchdowns vs. 141 interceptions. The memed “elite” debate aside, he’s accomplished a ton, including 15 career playoff starts and a Super Bowl victory.

Flacco and Jameis Winston are among the high-profile QBs still available in free agency. Meanwhile, Andy Dalton and Cam Newton are on the trading block.

Broncos Expected To Trade Or Release QB Joe Flacco

March 17th, 2020 at 9:37pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Joe Flacco‘s stint in Denver will end after one season. Mike Klis of 9News in Denver reports (via Twitter) that the organization is expected to release or trade the veteran quarterback by the end of the week.

We heard back in February that the organization was confident the veteran could play next season. However, his 2020 contract calls for $20.25MM in base salary, so it would have required a pay cut for him to stick around Denver. That boat apparently sailed when the organization added quarterback Jeff Driskel earlier this evening to serve as a backup to Drew Lock.

Barring a new deal, the Broncos can release Flacco to save $10MM+ against the cap with $13.6MM left in dead money. Clearly, the team would prefer to find a trade partner, but that’s probably easier said than done.

Injuries have hampered Flacco throughout his career. He missed time in 2015 and 2018 and also played through back pain in 2017, but his latest neck injury was especially serious. In early November, the Broncos shut the signal caller down for the second half of the season. Up to that point of the campaign, Flacco had completed 65.3% of his passes. While that was an impressive number, he also threw just six touchdown passes against five interceptions.

The 35-year-old will be entering his 13th NFL season in 2020. The veteran has appeared in 171 games, tossing 218 touchdowns vs. 141 interceptions. He’s also started 15 career playoff games, including four during the Ravens’ 2012 run to a Super Bowl championship.

Latest On Broncos’ Joe Flacco

February 18th, 2020 at 2:24pm CST by Zachary Links

After Joe Flacco‘s latest beck MRI, the Broncos are confident that the quarterback will be able to play in 2020, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (via Twitter) hears. Of course, it remains to be seen whether he’ll be playing in Denver.

If the Broncos move forward with youngster Drew Lock as their starter, Flacco would be a logical veteran backup. However, his contract calls for $20.25MM in base salary next year, so he’d have to agree to a sizable pay cut in order to make that work. Barring a new deal, the Broncos can release Flacco to save $10MM+ against the cap with $13.6MM left in dead money.

Injuries have hampered Flacco throughout his career. He missed time in 2015 and 2018 and also played through back pain in 2017, but his latest neck injury was especially serious. In early November, the Broncos shut the signal caller down for the second half of the season.

Flacco, 35, completed 65.3% of his passes in 2019, higher than any previous season in his career. That doesn’t quite tell the whole story, though – he also threw just six touchdown passes against five interceptions.

If Flacco reaches free agency, he’ll be overshadowed by a crop of QBs that may include some mix of Tom Brady, Ryan Tannehill, Teddy Bridgewater, and other big names. Still, his latest scan indicates that he’ll be ready to go for teams eyeing a backup or a bridge solution for a rookie passer.

Broncos Rumors: Lock, Lindsay, Miller

December 31st, 2019 at 9:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

As probably the second-best decade in Broncos history concludes, here is the latest out of Denver going into the 2020s. We’ll begin with the team’s quarterback situation.

Drew Lock led the Broncos to four wins in his five-start rookie season, and John Elway confirmed the perpetually quarterback-seeking franchise will not be in the market for another starter. “Obviously he finished, did a heck of a job, won four out of five games and played well, but he still has a long way to go; he’s got a lot of work to do,” Elway said, via ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold. “We’re excited about where Drew is so, we don’t like to show our hand. But it’s unrealistic to say we’re going a different direction.” Lock’s rookie contract will give the Broncos flexibility they have not had in a few years.
However, the Broncos’ September restructure of Joe Flacco‘s contract will mean a $13.6MM dead-money tag if/when he is released. Flacco is not expected to be on next year’s Broncos team but does not want to retire yet. Although, Flacco would be open to a Broncos backup role going forward, video link via Mike Klis of 9News. Should Flacco return to full strength, he could be an attractive backup option somewhere. The 34-year-old quarterback will go through an MRI in the next month to determine if he needs neck surgery, per Legwold.
Phillip Lindsay became the first UDFA to start his career 2-for-2 in 1,000-yard rushing seasons, Elway said the Broncos will look into redoing his contract, per The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala (on Twitter). Lindsay’s rookie deal runs through 2020, but UDFAs can be extended after two years as opposed to the three-year waiting period for draft picks. Lindsay, 25, is set to make just $660K next season, so expect extension discussions to commence. The Denver native would prefer a new contract this offseason, per Jhabvala (on Twitter).
Von Miller backtracked on mid-December comments that could have been construed as ominous, clarifying he did not want to leave Denver. And he will be part of the 2020 Broncos. The Broncos will pick up Miller’s option, Elway said (via Klis, on Twitter). The 30-year-old standout’s option — due by March 17 — calls for $6MM of his $18MM 2020 payment to become fully guaranteed, which would essentially ensure he will be part of next year’s Denver edition. Miller’s six-year, $114.5MM deal runs through the 2021 season.

Broncos Place Joe Flacco On IR

November 1st, 2019 at 2:15pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos are placing Joe Flacco on injured reserve, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). This will mark the end of the quarterback’s season and, possibly, his time in Denver.

Flacco is owed $20.5MM in 2020, but the Broncos can save $10MM by cutting him loose beforehand. In eight games for the Broncos this year, Flacco completed 65.3% of his passes, but threw just six touchdowns against five interceptions. The completion percentage marked a career high for Flacco, but the TD/INT ratio is his worst ever.

Injuries have dogged the former Super Bowl champ for much of his career – he missed time in 2015 and 2018 and also dealt with back pain in 2017. With his 35th birthday on the horizon in January, there’s no telling what’s next for Flacco.

The silver lining is that Flacco’s neck injury is not believed to be a career-threatening injury. Flacco could still continue playing in 2020, it seems, provided that he is willing to play for much less than his current contract.

With Flacco out of the picture, the Broncos will start Brandon Allen on Sunday against the Browns. He’ll be backstopped by Brett Rypien, who was recently promoted from the practice squad.

Broncos To Place Joe Flacco On IR?

October 29th, 2019 at 8:22am CST by Zachary Links

Joe Flacco‘s season might be over. The Broncos are expected to place the quarterback on injured reserve, according to Mike Klis of 9News (on Twitter).

On Monday, the Broncos ruled out Flacco for Week 9 with a neck injury. That means Brandon Allen, who has never taken a regular season snap, will start against the Browns. He’ll have the newly-activated Drew Lock behind him, and possibly Brett Rypien, if he’s promoted from the practice squad. They haven’t taken an NFL snap yet either.

The Broncos are no stranger to the injury bug this year and Flacco has been familiar with it throughout his entire career. He missed time in 2015 and 2018 with maladies and also dealt with back pain in 2017.

The good news for Flacco is that surgery probably won’t be required and his career is not in jeopardy, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (on Twitter). Still, Flacco is looking at a 5-6 week absence, at the least. He’ll get a second opinion on Tuesday, which should inform the Broncos’ roster decision.

The Broncos are tethered to the 34-year-old through at least next season. After trading a fourth-round pick to acquire Flacco from the Ravens, they restructured the QB’s deal, which previously had no guaranteed money beyond 2019. If released after this season, Flacco would count for $13.6MM against the cap.

Without Flacco or a realistic shot at the postseason, the Broncos may look to ship out key players in advance of the trade deadline. Emmanuel Sanders is already gone and star cornerback Chris Harris Jr. could be the next to leave Denver.

In eight games this year, Flacco completed 65.3% of his passes, higher than any previous season in his career. He also threw only six touchdown passes against five touchdowns and turned in his lowest TD% ever.

Broncos’ Joe Flacco Out For Week 9

October 28th, 2019 at 1:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos’ struggling offense will be in for a bigger test next week. Joe Flacco suffered a neck injury and will miss the team’s Week 9 game against the Browns, Vic Fangio said (via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero, on Twitter).

That will move backup Brandon Allen into Denver’s starting lineup. Acquired just before the start of the regular season, Allen has never taken a regular-season snap. Drew Lock is eligible to come off IR this week, but Allen will get the call.

Flacco’s injury could mean a multi-week absence, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Fangio said IR is a possibility for Denver’s starter; Flacco going on IR would effectively end his season. Flacco is dealing with a herniated disk, the team announced. This puts the remainder of the 12th-year passer’s season in jeopardy.

This injury is not expected to require surgery, per 9News’ Mike Klis, who adds Lock will either be brought off IR this week or practice squad passer Brett Rypien will be promoted (Twitter links). The Broncos’ healthy quarterback contingent collectively has zero NFL pass attempts.

Flacco missed time in 2015 and 2018 due to injuries, and the longtime Raven dealt with back discomfort in 2017. The Broncos sent a fourth-round pick to the Ravens in exchange for Flacco. They also restructured his deal in September, tethering the 34-year-old quarterback to the 2020 cap sheet. Previously, Flacco had no guaranteed money on his deal post-2019. Now, $13.6MM in dead-money charges would come if the veteran is cut next year.

Flacco was critical of the Broncos’ play-calling in their loss to the Colts on Sunday and has them at 2-6 — Denver’s worst record after eight games since 2010. Allen was a sixth-round Jaguars pick out of Arkansas in 2016. He spent parts of the past two seasons with the Rams, before coming to Denver as a waiver claim.

Restructured Contract Details: Flacco, Solder, Panthers

September 7th, 2019 at 10:06am CST by Ben Levine

With the majority of the NFL beginning their 2019 campaigns tomorrow, a number of teams have slightly tweaked contracts in an effort to open some extra cap space. We’ve compiled some of the notable restructured contracts from this morning, along with some details on some recently-completed deals.

The Broncos converted $17MM of Joe Flacco‘s base salary into a signing bonus, reports NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (via Twitter). The front office also added a pair of voidable years to the contract, thus opening around $13.6MM in 2019 cap space. The veteran quarterback is still on the books for $20.25MM in 2020 and $24.25MM in 2021.
The Giants made a similar move with offensive tackle Nate Solder, according to Pelissero (on Twitter). The front office converted $7.5MM of the veteran’s base salary to a fully-guaranteed roster bonus, opening up $5MM in cap space. Solder will still earn the same amount of money over the next two years ($13MM in 2019, $14MM in 2020).
One more from Pelissero (via Twitter): the Panthers restructured the contracts of defensive tackle Kawann Short and offensive lineman Trai Turner, opening $13MM in cap space. While the team could use that open money for extensions, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets that the transaction is “more about taking cap space into next year.” Linebacker Shaq Thompson and cornerback James Bradberry are impending free agents, while running back Christian McCaffrey and quarterback Cam Newton could be eyeing lucrative extensions.
The Rams converted $2.25MM of punter Johnny Hekker‘s base salary into a bonus, reports ESPN’s Field Yates (via Twitter). The move opens up around $1.69MM in cap space, allowing the team is better accommodate the recent extensions for quarterback Jared Goff and tight end Tyler Higbee.
Center Mike Pouncey‘s one-year, $9MM extension with the Chargers will guarantee him $5MM in new money, tweets ESPN’s Dan Graziano (via Twitter). The guarantees include a $2.5MM signing bonus and $2.5MM guaranteed salary in 2020 (the full base salary is $6MM). The veteran’s cap number is now $10MM in 2019 and $7.75MM in 2020.
Jacoby Brissett‘s two-year, $30MM extension with the Colts includes an $11MM signing bonus, reports Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (on Twitter). The quarterback has a $2MM salary for 2019, $2MM in per-game roster bonuses (for both years), and a $7MM roster bonus that’s guaranteed in March. As Volin notes, the 26-year-old will likely earn around $13MM to $15MM this season before renegotiating next offseason.
Josh Doctson‘s deal with the Vikings is for one year at the league minimum of $720K, reports Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune (via Twitter). The deal includes no guaranteed money. Following the signing of the wideout and punter Britton Colquitt, Minnesota is now sitting with around $1.17MM in cap space.

Broncos Considering Drew Lock IR Stay

August 22nd, 2019 at 9:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

After ceding his Ravens job to Lamar Jackson last season, Joe Flacco does not look to be in danger of a demotion in Denver. Drew Lock‘s injury timetable may be longer than initially anticipated.

Expected to need at least five weeks of recovery time before he can resume throwing, Lock is now a candidate for the Broncos’ IR list. Vic Fangio acknowledged (via ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold) that is in play for the second-round pick. Lock suffered a “fairly serious” sprain against the 49ers on Monday and said Thursday he is not sure when he will be able to throw again.

Should Lock land on IR to start the season, after being carried through to the Broncos’ 53-man roster, he would need to remain there for a minimum of eight regular-season weeks. That would use up one of Denver’s two IR-return slots. The team also will have running backs Andy Janovich and Theo Riddick sidelined into the season. Both are expected to return from injury fairly early in the regular season, so they don’t profile as IR candidates at this point.

This injury would stand to stunt Lock’s growth, and while it clears the way for Flacco to potentially start the whole season, Denver’s new starting quarterback has dealt with maladies in three of the past four seasons. A torn ACL ended Flacco’s 2015 campaign, a back injury limited him in the 2017 offseason, and a hip problem brought Jackson into Baltimore’s 2018 lineup. Flacco will not play in the Broncos’ fourth preseason game, with Fangio set to sit most of his starters then and in the team’s fifth and final August contest.

As was the case last season, Kevin Hogan is now expected to be the Broncos’ backup. The Broncos used Lock as their No. 2 passer in recent practices and in Monday’s game. They have rookie UDFA Brett Rypien as well, but the Boise State product did not play in either of the team’s past two preseason games and profiles more as a practice squad stash.