Exclusive or Non-Exclusive Franchise Tag for Flacco?

[Raveninwoodlawn]

Flacco is not married to Baltimore...I don't really know why people act like it's not a possibility that he signs an offer sheet somewhere else...or that if he does, he never wanted to stay here in the first place.

Ray Lewis peddled his services for weeks when he got to UFA...what makes anybody think that Flacco is married to Baltimore?

[The Excellector]

Yeah, first, the guy isn't worth the money and the team should probably tag him and make him prove it in 2013, or he should be thankful for 16 mil, etc. etc.

Now, the guy is married to Baltimore and that is going to lead him to take less than he is worth?

I am with you on this one Raveninwoodlawn.

All of these years, who got the credit for this team's success? The defense. Who was the guy that this offense was supposed to run through, because Flacco had clearly shown that he couldn't handle it? Ray Rice.

Now, he's supposed to be so attached to Baltimore and this great atmosphere that he'd take less to stay. If he does, God bless him, but he should not be expected to do that and I wouldn't blame him if he didn't.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

I think they need to stop playing games and pay him.

We have no leverage here and losing him under any circumstance is completely unacceptable IMHO.

If it takes him getting top the QB money, or damn close to it, those are the breaks...the team took a gamble and lost, Joe took a gamble and won...it's time for the Ravens to pay up.

[The Excellector]

I think they need to stop playing games and pay him.

We have no leverage here and losing him under any circumstance is completely unacceptable IMHO.

If it takes him getting top the QB money, or damn close to it, those are the breaks...the team took a gamble and lost, Joe took a gamble and won...it's time for the Ravens to pay up.

How crazy would it be for the Ravens to not retain two QBs after winning the Super Bowl? This one, on top of that, was actually good.

[JohnBKistler]

I think they need to stop playing games and pay him.

We have no leverage here and losing him under any circumstance is completely unacceptable IMHO.

If it takes him getting top the QB money, or damn close to it, those are the breaks...the team took a gamble and lost, Joe took a gamble and won...it's time for the Ravens to pay up.

It takes 2 to tango. Can someone tell me what incentive Flacco and his agent have to get a deal done right now? Maybe the Ravens are in fact saying, "Here's top QB money." Maybe Linta is saying, "I'll get back to you."

[alienrace]

It takes 2 to tango. Can someone tell me what incentive Flacco and his agent have to get a deal done right now? Maybe the Ravens are in fact saying, "Here's top QB money." Maybe Linta is saying, "I'll get back to you."

Because it would be much better for BOTH parties to not have him tagged. Flacco's value will never be higher than it is right now. He could get tagged, then get hurt, or play poorly, and not come close to the money he is likely being offered.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

It takes 2 to tango. Can someone tell me what incentive Flacco and his agent have to get a deal done right now? Maybe the Ravens are in fact saying, "Here's top QB money." Maybe Linta is saying, "I'll get back to you."

They get their money right now? Joe has peace of mind? Linta can go and buy that big yacht he's had his eyes on tomorrow? lol.

I don't think Joe's side is just holding out for the sake of it...Joe doesn't strike me as that type of guy. And I think Joe wants to help the team retain guys and stay really good...just not at the expense of his contract.

BTW, when I say right now...I just want it done before UFA starts.

[Haloti92]

I don't think the exclusive tag is a guarantee at all. And there are legitimate arguments as to why.

Flacco isn't married to Baltimore, but if everything else is equal, I think he would rather stay. And this isn't the case with players that have an animosity-filled relationship with their management, or the case with players that are on losing teams/organizations. In those cases, the player wants out, definitively.

There would be significantly less pressure on Joe if he stayed here under a big money contract after banking a SB win and the goodwill associated with it than there would be if he signed such a huge deal that also costs his new team additional 2 first round picks. He would be viewed as an expensive savior, and he would need to turn the organization around in a hurry to avoid criticism.

With a non-exclusive tag, assuming Flacco and the Ravens are amicably disagreeing on his value, Flacco can shop for offers but take them back here before he signs them. We would avoid poison-pill structures and could match in total size (which is what Flacco's agent has said is the main priority sicne Joe is young and likely to see the full deal).

The idea that teams are going to be fighting to offer Flacco $23m per year and two first rounders is just insane, imo. Why would teams offer 15% more than the highest paid QB in the league PLUS two first rounders? If anything a team would offer the $20m per year that we all think is the ceiling. In which case we could admit defeat and match.

It won't surprise me if we use the exclusive tag. Nor will it surprise me if we don't. Neither option is greatly better than the other, in terms of risk/reward, no matter which one is chosen.

[RavenScallywag]

If you pay Joe as the top QB, where does his agent have to go from there?

I want to be paid DOUBLE what Drew Brees makes?

I guarantee they aren't truly offering top QB money.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

Tom Brady just signed a 3 year extension...again for WAY under market value.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl...iots-contract/

Anyways...at least this would theoretically lower the exclusive tag number for Joe.

[Haloti92]

If you pay Joe as the top QB, where does his agent have to go from there?

I want to be paid DOUBLE what Drew Brees makes?

I guarantee they aren't truly offering top QB money.

I agree, which is why the idea that someone else is going to offer 10-20% more than top QB money plus two 1st's is farfetched.

I suspect they are offering $18m per, and Linta is asking for $21m per (but would settle for a dollar more than Brees' annual ~ $20m per).

[Gabrosin]

I don't think the exclusive tag is a guarantee at all. And there are legitimate arguments as to why.

Flacco isn't married to Baltimore, but if everything else is equal, I think he would rather stay. And this isn't the case with players that have an animosity-filled relationship with their management, or the case with players that are on losing teams/organizations. In those cases, the player wants out, definitively.

There would be significantly less pressure on Joe if he stayed here under a big money contract after banking a SB win and the goodwill associated with it than there would be if he signed such a huge deal that also costs his new team additional 2 first round picks. He would be viewed as an expensive savior, and he would need to turn the organization around in a hurry to avoid criticism.

With a non-exclusive tag, assuming Flacco and the Ravens are amicably disagreeing on his value, Flacco can shop for offers but take them back here before he signs them. We would avoid poison-pill structures and could match in total size (which is what Flacco's agent has said is the main priority sicne Joe is young and likely to see the full deal).

The idea that teams are going to be fighting to offer Flacco $23m per year and two first rounders is just insane, imo. Why would teams offer 15% more than the highest paid QB in the league PLUS two first rounders? If anything a team would offer the $20m per year that we all think is the ceiling. In which case we could admit defeat and match.

It won't surprise me if we use the exclusive tag. Nor will it surprise me if we don't. Neither option is greatly better than the other, in terms of risk/reward, no matter which one is chosen.

This is ignoring the idea that another team would offer the same as the Ravens in total dollars, but structure it in a way that makes it hard for the Ravens to match AND gets Flacco more money faster, effectively increasing his guarantees.

Bottom line, let's maybe do this without needing the tag at all. 6 years, $120m, guarantee as much as he wants since we're screwed if he gets hurt anyway.

[Paintballguy]

Tom Brady just signed a 3 year extension...again for WAY under market value.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl...iots-contract/

Anyways...at least this would theoretically lower the exclusive tag number for Joe.

Helps having an insanely rich wife...

[Haloti92]

This is ignoring the idea that another team would offer the same as the Ravens in total dollars, but structure it in a way that makes it hard for the Ravens to match AND gets Flacco more money faster, effectively increasing his guarantees.

Bottom line, let's maybe do this without needing the tag at all. 6 years, $120m, guarantee as much as he wants since we're screwed if he gets hurt anyway.

It wasn't ignored at all. I mentioned how structure could be a problem, but why I thought it wasn't a big one.

For Joe to sign such a deal he would be essentially choosing to leave. We only have to 'exactly' match what he signs, not what he is offered.

Linta has already indicated (from what I remember, though I can't currently find the link/source) that Joe is more concerned with overall deal size than guaranteed money or structure.

[Raveninwoodlawn]

This is ignoring the idea that another team would offer the same as the Ravens in total dollars, but structure it in a way that makes it hard for the Ravens to match AND gets Flacco more money faster, effectively increasing his guarantees.

Bottom line, let's maybe do this without needing the tag at all. 6 years, $120m, guarantee as much as he wants since we're screwed if he gets hurt anyway.

Yeah, the issue is not the total average of the deal. I feel we'd match anything if that was the issue.

The issue is 2 fold here...

A. If he signs an offer sheet, we have to match EVERYTHING in the offer sheet. Not just the total money, but the structure, when he gets his money and how much of it hits the cap each year.

B. If a team offers him a contract to sign, it is going to be structured in a way that would make it tough for us to match. If a team offers Joe a $30 roster bonus instead of signing bonus this year, that entire $30 million hits the cap this year. There is no spreading of that $30 million over 5 or 6 years. And while if we wanted to, we could match, it would be very, very, very tough.

That is why IMHO, it is imperative that we get this thing done before the UFA period.

[BigPlayReceiver]

Well Ozzie now has more leverage than he did when he had lunch today...

[RavenScallywag]

Well Ozzie now has more leverage than he did when he had lunch today...

Does he really? Tom Brady passed up some total money, but the contract is FULLY guaranteed. It's an "end of career" contract. Flacco is looking at himself as being the guy to take the torch from Brady, as the next generation of the "winning QB". So of course he's thinking more money than Brady.

As has been said, the contract will reflect not just what he's done, but what we EXPECT him to do.

[Paintballguy]

Brady isn't exactly taking a hometown discount. It's mainly creative accounting.

@AlbertBreer: Brady deal converts his old deal into, essentially, a five-year, $60 million contract. And all $60 million is guaranteed.


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[BigPlayReceiver]

Brady isn't exactly taking a hometown discount. It's mainly creative accounting.

@AlbertBreer: Brady deal converts his old deal into, essentially, a five-year, $60 million contract. And all $60 million is guaranteed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sneaky bastards. Gonna have to knock them out of the tournament AGAIN

[Paintballguy]

Joel Corry ‏@corryjoel
With Brady's '13 cap # decreasing, Joe Flacco's exclusive franchise tag # is now $19.583M. Brees at $17.15M is now in the calculations.