According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Ravens and Denver Broncos have agreed on a trade that would send Joe Flacco out west for 2019.
Breaking: Baltimore has agreement in principle to trade former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco to the Broncos, league sources told ESPN.
Trade cannot be processed until new NFL league year begins Wednesday, March 13. Teams prohibited from commenting on deal or terms surrounding it.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 13, 2019
RSR Staff react to the news here…
Tony Lombardi
It was inevitable. Joe Flacco would be moving on in 2019. We just didn’t think it would happen this quickly. Of course, for the moment, it is a deal in principle and can’t be made official until the new league year commences on March 13. Details of the trade will also be withheld until that time, although Mike Klis, who covers the Broncos for the Denver Post believes it to be a fourth-round pick.
https://twitter.com/MikeKlis/status/1095721235588116480
But that said, this looks like a win for Joe. He gets to go and play with a team that runs an offense suited to his skills and he will be equipped with a running game and a solid defense. It is also the home of his authored, Mile High Miracle. The Broncos will be hoping for more.
Really good fit!
For the Ravens, besides the undisclosed compensation, the trade will spell $10.5M in cap relief. What DeCosta does with that money could really boost the value in this trade.
Derek Arnold
Many had speculated that the Ravens wouldn’t be able to get anything in return for Flacco. Obviously we don’t know the terms of the trade, but good on them for getting something back, and if they agreed on a deal this quickly, I’d have to think Denver is giving up a bit more than many of us had expected (a fourth-rounder? That works.)
How many times is Joe going to be asked about The Mile High Miracle in his introductory presser? How tough is it gonna be for Broncos fans to embrace him after that?
I’d hoped to see Joe go to an NFC team. Looking at the Ravens’ schedule, the Broncos don’t show up on it again until at least 2020 (if the teams finish in the same spot in their respective divisions in 2019), but more likely 2021. We may never see Joe line up against his former squad anyway.
Eric DeCosta’s first big move as Ravens GM is quite the doozy.
Todd Karpovich
— Joe Flacco returns to the city where he had one of the greatest plays of his career, the “Mile High Miracle.” The Broncos would be thrilled if he can equal some of that success.
— This was a shrewd move by Eric DeCosta. The Ravens picked up $10.5 million in salary-cap space and carry $16 million and potential draft pick(s) as opposed to letting Flacco hit the open market.
— Denver decided its more prudent to take on Flacco’s current salary than potentially getting into a bidding war with other teams. Denver gets itself a proven, veteran quarterback who might be playing with a chip on his shoulder.
Dev Panchwagh
This is somewhat surprising. The news of Flacco to the Broncos isn’t the surprise — but the aspect of the trade is a surprise. I personally didn’t think any of the possible suitors would bother with a strong trade push given that the Ravens would have to release the former Super Bowl MVP at some point.
This is a great fit for Flacco, no question. For the Ravens, if they were even able to get a low-round pick in return, this is a win as well. Frankly, getting anything back given the complexity of his contract structure would have been an accomplishment. It’ll be interesting to see if Flacco responds to this new opportunity. It has the makings of a successful marriage with a team that has young offensive playmakers and a loaded defense.
Chad Racine
I think this trade is great for Joe Flacco and I’ll be rooting for him in Denver. The only thing that would’ve made it better is if Gary Kubiak stayed on staff in Denver and would’ve been the offensive coordinator. John Elway has been unable to replace Peyton Manning in these last few years but I think they found their five-plus-year solution.
Nick Capecci
I’ve been waiting for this day…even hoping for it. However, now that it’s here, I’m surprised to find myself feeling a bit sad. Flacco to Denver was my first choice initially because I thought Kubiak would stay.
So far the reports are saying the Ravens are receiving a mid-round pick. It will be to early to say if it was a “bad” trade or a “good” one. We can better judge the return in a few years, but it’s good to clear up some cap space. The DeCosta regime has made some massive moves in little time, so now we can start to see his vision of the team.
The NFL has an exciting offseason lined up, and it looks like Baltimore plans to be involved.
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Ken McKusick
I’m sad to see the era end. The Ravens were 104-72 in the regular season during his 11-year tenure here and 10-5 in the playoff games he started. Other than his injury year, they never failed to contend and he earned the nickname “January Joe” with outstanding playoff performances, including 24 TDs and 4 INTs in his last 10 playoff games.
In terms of cap space, this gives the Ravens the flexibility they should need to pursue their own playmakers and perhaps extend some young talent a year early. I’m still not expecting a big splash on external free agents and continue to believe it is unlikely this trade will somehow result in Le’Veon Bell or Antonio Brown coming to Baltimore.
Brian McFarland
Sad to see Flacco go, but this was inevitable after Jackson took over. The return of Denver’s 4th round pick (11th of the round) is a solid return, and a nice first step for new GM Eric DeCosta.
Flacco leaves Baltimore as a polarizing figure, one who unfortunately really didn’t live up to the big contract. As it turned out, he was never going to be able to carry the Ravens over an extended stretch on his own, but the Ravens paid him like he could. Then, they utterly failed to surround him with the talent necessary to help him succeed. So, the Ravens FO must share a significant amount of the blame.
Still the Flacco era is the best stretch of winning football in Ravens history and Joe should always be remembered fondly – and deservedly so – here in Baltimore. He never blamed anyone else, was universally considered to be a great teammate and was as tough as they come.
Cheers Joe, good luck in Denver, where I hope they give you the offensive talent to get back to your best days!
Carey Stevenson
I’m sure the Ravens have been gauging interest from all over the league and this probably wound up being the best value that also put Joe in a good football situation, which I think mattered for them. His contract structure is appealing as a “pay as you go” starter who doesn’t complicate things if/when you decide to draft your QB of the future.
