Baltimore Ravens, Joe Flacco Agree to New Deal
By Joe Serpico
The Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Joe Flacco have agreed to a new three-year contract extension that would keep him in Charm City until 2021.
It was a deal that has been expected since Flacco signed his six-year, $120.6 million deal back in 2013, after leading the Ravens to a Super Bowl championship and earning Super Bowl MVP honors. If Flacco played under his previous deal this upcoming season, he’d count for $28.6 million against the cap. While Ozzie Newsome said the Ravens can operate with Flacco’s former deal, everyone knew a new deal would get done to help the team with their cap management.
Terms of the deal haven’t been confirmed, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com is reporting that Flacco will receive a $40 million signing bonus while also reducing the Ravens cap number.
Flacco’s agent, Joe Linta, is currently at the Ravens’ facility working out the details of the deal, according to the team’s Twitter account.
Flacco is coming off a season in which he tore his ACL and MCL in a Week 11 win against the St. Louis Rams. It was the first time in his career that he missed a game and the Ravens finished the season with three different quarterbacks starting once Flacco went down. He had surgery in December and is hopeful to be ready for the start of the 2016 season.
Now we will find out just how the Ravens plan on using that additional money. Kelechi Osemele is the biggest free agent that could be on the way out and the new money could up their offer to the offensive lineman. The team has also placed the franchise tag on kicker Justin Tucker so a long-term deal can be worked out as well.
Next: Trading Back In NFL Draft Might Be a Ravens Best Option
The Ravens found out this season just how important Flacco is to their success. With Joe’s new deal, the Ravens know they have their leader on board until 2021.