Six years at $120.6 million— we don't yet know the guaranteed money… but the Ravens got a deal done with their QB Joe Flacco…and a full week and-a-half before free agency becomes a factor.
This deal actually represents a great value for the Ravens. The team has arguably the best QB in the NFL now locked up for the next six years in the prime of his career…which if true means by the year 2019, Joe Flacco will be underpaid.
For now, Flacco is making Tom Brady money. And he has earned it.
The deal also means the Ravens can navigate and manipulate cap space… and can now concentrate on fitting in guys like Paul Kruger, Cary Williams and Ed Reed into their 2013 budget.
General Manager Ozzie Newsome confirmed that the Ravens and Flacco have the parameters completed but still have some language and details to work out. The deal is expected to be signed on Monday, according to FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer.
It's a six-year deal worth $120.6 million, reports ESPN's Adam Schefter, just topping the New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees' contract and making Flacco the highest-paid player in NFL history.
Finalizing a deal with Flacco before Monday's 4 p.m. franchise deadline would mean the Ravens wouldn't endure a salary cap hit of about $19.5 million under an exclusive tag or risk losing their quarterback with a non-exclusive tag.
While Flacco hasn't put up stats as big as Brees or some of the other highest-paid quarterbacks, he's excelled in the most important figure of all: winning.
Flacco is the only quarterback in league history to win a playoff game in each of his first five seasons. He leads the league in combined regular season and playoff wins (63) by a starting quarterback since 2008.
His play during the Ravens’ 2012 playoff run, capped off by an MVP performance in Super Bowl XLVII, solidified Flacco’s status among the league’s top quarterbacks.
Flacco’s 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions in the playoffs equaled San Francisco 49ers legend Joe Montana’s feat of 1989. Flacco completed 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns against the 49ers’ strong defense in Super Bowl XLVII.
The Ravens’ last quarterback to win a Super Bowl was Trent Dilfer in 2000. Baltimore parted ways with him that offseason, bringing in free agent Elvis Grbac.
The Ravens have never committed to a quarterback as they have with Flacco. After Grbac’s one year they drafted Kyle Boller in the first round in 2003. Then they signed Steve McNair in 2006.
Baltimore drafted Flacco 18th overall out of Delaware in 2008. Since that season, they haven’t had to question who was starting under center.
Now they reportedly won’t have to worry about that for quite some time.
People who read this column know how much I have touted Flacco's metrics both physical and brain-wise in the past, even when it seemed his critics were winning. Now it seems the debate has come full circle.
Flacco is elite. In a way, it is now official. Deal with it.
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