Ravens Expected To Trade Or Release QB Joe Flacco Next Year

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Ravens are expected to move on from QB Joe Flacco after this season now that they’re clearly transitioning to Lamar Jackson as their starting quarterback of the future.

Interestingly enough, Rapoport says that Flacco should end up being a “fairly coveted” free agent in 2019, given that there are rarely starting quarterbacks available on the open market.

“Look at Flacco’s future, he’s 33 years old, he’s set to make $18.5 million dollars next year. The Ravens are expected to move on from him this offseason,” Rapoport said. “They’ll incur $16 million of dead money, but, of course, they’re not going to bring him back as a backup making $16 million. All of which is to say if Flacco decides he wants to continue playing, he’s actually going to be a fairly coveted free agent this offseason. Rarely do starting quarterbacks become available, and Joe Flacco absolutely is.”

Rapoport adds that the Ravens are going to treat Flacco with class and it’s possible they could trade him to a team of his choice.

Next year’s free agent market is expected to include Tyrod Taylor, Teddy Bridgewater, Nick Foles and Ryan Fitzpatrick among others at quarterback, so it would not be surprising to see Flacco garner a good amount of interest from quarterback-needy teams.

Flacco, 33, is a former first-round pick of the Ravens back in 2008. He’s currently in the third year of a six-year, $125 million contract that contained $44 million guaranteed. He is set to make a base salary of $12 million this season to go along with another $18.5 million (2019), $20.25 (2020) million, $24.25 million (2021).

According to OverTheCap.com, releasing Flacco will free up $16 million of available cap space while creating $10.5 million in dead money.

In 2018, Flacco has appeared in nine games and completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 2,465 yards to go along with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions for the Ravens. He has also rushed for 45 yards.