If Flacco is Franchised, do you make an offer?

[Chopper0080]

Listening to Joe Flacco and Ozzie Newsome over the past year has got me thinking that Flacco will get the Franchise tag put on him this offseason. He wants a bunch of money, the team will be tight against the cap, and there is only so much time to negotiate between Super Bowl week and the start of free agency.

My question is, if this happens, would you offer the requisite two 1st round draft picks and make a top line money offer to Joe Flacco as required by the Franchise tag? He has his issues, but is also the big, strong armed QB that Arians has been successful with. He is young, a tough guy, and has seemed to elevate his play as his coaches have given him more. There are obviously no guarantees in the draft, and certainly no answers this offseason. Do you make an offer that could potentially make it impossible or at least very difficult to match?

Personally, I think I would and I am pretty sure the money could be worked out.

So, again, is two 1st round picks and 6 years, 90 million worth it?

 

[MadCardDisease]

Listening to Joe Flacco and Ozzie Newsome over the past year has got me thinking that Flacco will get the Franchise tag put on him this offseason. He wants a bunch of money, the team will be tight against the cap, and there is only so much time to negotiate between Super Bowl week and the start of free agency.

My question is, if this happens, would you offer the requisite two 1st round draft picks and make a top line money offer to Joe Flacco as required by the Franchise tag? He has his issues, but is also the big, strong armed QB that Arians has been successful with. He is young, a tough guy, and has seemed to elevate his play as his coaches have given him more. There are obviously no guarantees in the draft, and certainly no answers this offseason. Do you make an offer that could potentially make it impossible or at least very difficult to match?

Personally, I think I would and I am pretty sure the money could be worked out.

So, again, is two 1st round picks and 6 years, 90 million worth it?

I say no way.

#1 you are giving up 2 1st rounders for him.

#2 we don't have the cap space for him

#3 I'm guessing Flacco doesn't want to play here

 

[PortlandCardFan]

I'm just not a big Flacco fan.

 

[Chopper0080]

I say no way.

#1 you are giving up 2 1st rounders for him.

#2 we don't have the cap space for him

#3 I'm guessing Flacco doesn't want to play here

#1: Who cares. Chances are we have to use one of those 1st rounders on a QB anyway, so we just end up spending an extra one because we are getting a more proven player.

#2: We could make the cap space by cutting Early Doucet, Jeff King, Chris Wells, Stewart Bradley and Adrian Wilson.

#3: Flacco wants to get paid. His team is entering a transition period (Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Paul Kruger, Anquan Boldin, and Darnell Ellerbe all possibly leaving) and he obviously feels undervalued there.

 

[Chopper0080]

I'm just not a big Flacco fan.

Me neither, but I am even less of a Kevin Kolb/5-11 fan.

 

[kerouac9]

1) The Ravens will place the Exclusive Franchise Tag on Flacco (the same one that Brees got last year, and Manning the season or two before), which prevents teams from even making an offer sheet. That renders this whole conversation moot.

2) No. I'd offer 2 firsts for Flacco, or I'd offer him a $120 million contract (reports have been that his people are asking for $20 million per year), but I couldn't do both. Even if he wins the Super Bowl, and if he's a great fit for Arians' offense, that's a lot to give if you're not certain that you're getting a guy who can win a handful of Super Bowls and make the Hall of Fame.

 

[GuernseyCard]

1) The Ravens will place the Exclusive Franchise Tag on Flacco (the same one that Brees got last year, and Manning the season or two before), which prevents teams from even making an offer sheet. That renders this whole conversation moot.

2) No. I'd offer 2 firsts for Flacco, or I'd offer him a $120 million contract (reports have been that his people are asking for $20 million per year), but I couldn't do both. Even if he wins the Super Bowl, and if he's a great fit for Arians' offense, that's a lot to give if you're not certain that you're getting a guy who can win a handful of Super Bowls and make the Hall of Fame.

Which disqualifies everyone...

 

[Chopper0080]

1) The Ravens will place the Exclusive Franchise Tag on Flacco (the same one that Brees got last year, and Manning the season or two before), which prevents teams from even making an offer sheet. That renders this whole conversation moot.

2) No. I'd offer 2 firsts for Flacco, or I'd offer him a $120 million contract (reports have been that his people are asking for $20 million per year), but I couldn't do both. Even if he wins the Super Bowl, and if he's a great fit for Arians' offense, that's a lot to give if you're not certain that you're getting a guy who can win a handful of Super Bowls and make the Hall of Fame.

Damn it, I forgot about the exclusive tag. I got to get off of these pain meds as they are apparently making me stupid.

As far as #2, I think Flacco is as much of a certainty when acquiring a QB as you are going to get. He has shown he can win. He can win different ways. He is durable. He is a scheme fit. I don't think you can put a price on getting a guy like this. Ideally you would find a player like him in the draft, but that is as big of a question mark with less immediate returns.

 

[kerouac9]

Which disqualifies everyone...

Well, the Franchise tag is supposed to be a high price. I'd've given that up for Drew Brees last year (that's why they used the exclusive tag on him), or Peyton Manning, or Tom Brady, or Ben Roethlisberger, or Phil Rivers.

Teams that have given up draft pick compensation for Franchise player designees rarely think that's a good idea years later.

 

[Chopper0080]

Well, the Franchise tag is supposed to be a high price. I'd've given that up for Drew Brees last year (that's why they used the exclusive tag on him), or Peyton Manning, or Tom Brady, or Ben Roethlisberger, or Phil Rivers.

Teams that have given up draft pick compensation for Franchise player designees rarely think that's a good idea years later.

But we both know QB is a different story, especially a young one. I agree that the Ravens won;t let it get to that point, but if they did, we would be stupid not to make a move.

 

[az jam]

Very interesting discussion. I agree with K-9 that Flacco will most likely be given the exclusive franchise tag. I do think he would be worth the price of two first rounds as he is the right player for BA's offense. You are right the qb position is that important.

Makes me wonder are there any qbs out there worth giving up our first pick for the next two years?? Ben Rothlisberger??? Tony Romo?

 

[mrbyte]

I'm not sure Flacco has shown he is worth one 1st round pick let alone two.
so no way

 

[Shane]

I'm not sure Flacco has shown he is worth one 1st round pick let alone two.
so no way

The guy is the winningest QB in NFL history in his first 5 years in the league. His stats are very good. Has taken his team to the playoffs in every year in the league and been the driving force behind the team getting to the SB and an AFC championship game last season. Not worth a first?

 

[HoodieBets]

Joe Flacco is so undervalued in the NFL it is crazy. He is def worth 2 1st round picks along with a 17m/yr contract. Its not like the ravens defense is what it used to be. Flacco has out played Brady twice this year and peyton manning. He is a top 10 QB.

 

[Goldfield]

K9 is right we won't even get the chance. But this is a great question. I say yes. I would hate to lose two firsts and a big cap number. But Flacco is a perfect fit here and is still young. I would do that no problem.

 

[kerouac9]

The guy is the winningest QB in NFL history in his first 5 years in the league. His stats are very good. Has taken his team to the playoffs in every year in the league and been the driving force behind the team getting to the SB and an AFC championship game last season. Not worth a first?

Some of those facts are a little mitigated by context: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8434708/the-numbers-never-lie-ravens-fueled-their-defense

And I'm saying this as a guy who still thinks that maybe Mark Sanchez can be successful as a starting QB.

That was written before the playoff run, obviously, and Flacco has been excellent so far in the playoffs. I'm just not sure that he's an elite QB, or he's just on the top of the next tier that includes Romo, Cutler, Schaub, etc.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Some of those facts are a little mitigated by context: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8434708/the-numbers-never-lie-ravens-fueled-their-defense

And I'm saying this as a guy who still thinks that maybe Mark Sanchez can be successful as a starting QB.

That was written before the playoff run, obviously, and Flacco has been excellent so far in the playoffs. I'm just not sure that he's an elite QB, or he's just on the top of the next tier that includes Romo, Cutler, Schaub, etc.

All true, but continuing to dick around with awful qb's is far worse than giving up 2 first rounders. I don't love Flacco, but I hate our current QB situation.

The thought of going down Kolb street for the 3rd consecutive year is just depressing.

 

[oaken1]

early on Flacco crumbled a bit when pressure was on....but he has shown the ability to grow past that....interested to see how he does on the NFL's biggest stage....


I would make the trade for Joe Flacco.....even a top 5 draft pick is a crap shoot...Ryan Leaf anybody?

Flacco has proven he is a top notch NFL starting quarterback...give up the picks...pay him a hundred mil over six or seven years.....best option available this season......if he ever comes available,lol.

 

[mrbyte]

The guy is the winningest QB in NFL history in his first 5 years in the league. His stats are very good. Has taken his team to the playoffs in every year in the league and been the driving force behind the team getting to the SB and an AFC championship game last season. Not worth a first?

your mocking me arn't you??

its not the winning that counts its how you look while doing it, and to me he always looks like he fluked it

Seriously he just never looks that good, and as far as the question of should we give up 2 1sts for him I still say NO unless he brings Ray Rice with him because without that running game I think he's a pretty average QB

 

[TigToad]

The guy is the winningest QB in NFL history in his first 5 years in the league. His stats are very good. Has taken his team to the playoffs in every year in the league and been the driving force behind the team getting to the SB and an AFC championship game last season. Not worth a first?

Stop using facts.

I would.

 

[ARZCardinals]

Flaco will be exclusive franchise tag - no team will get a shot at him.

 

[JeffGollin]

El Slimmo-None-O.

 

[joeshmo]

All you would be doing is negotiating the contract and doing the leg work for the Ravens, because they would match anything we could offer.

 

[desertdawg]

All you would be doing is negotiating the contract and doing the leg work for the Ravens, because they would match anything we could offer.

So if they slap the Exclusive, he won't ever hit free agency right? They will lock him up before the tag wears off, but say if you are a team in their division (not named the Steelers), is there a way to make a public offer to Flacco before he inks back up with Baltimore? If he tests the waters (which I highly doubt the Ravens will do) then Baltimore would have to match like you say. But if I'm the Bengals or Browns I'm offering ridiculous money, especially if I plan on the Ravens matching it anyways...or is that what Martha Stewart went to jail for??

 

[TruCard]

As tough as it is to land a franchise QB, of course you go after him if he is franchised. There is no way that happens though. He will sign.