Overpaying Flacco could sink the Ravens

**SugarRay52** · 12-05-2012, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Dirt1

:word

According to ESPN, Flacco is ranked #19 in the league so far this year in terms of passing stats. IMO, Flacco would need to rank a lot higher than that to justify kind of money he wants. If the Ravens want to be a run-first/balanced offense, then do they really need a $100+ million QB?

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/pl...rterbackRating

He may not be worth a $100 million at this point but you have to look at the market for QBs, they may need to overpay him a little bit. If he hits the open market he will be one of the best QBs available in what could be a weak free agent QB market. Joe may not be worth $16 mil a year but some desperate team could gamble and pay him that. We know the Ravens have a horrible track record when it comes to QBs and they may not want to start over unless they really really like Tyrod Taylor.

**bacchys** · 12-05-2012, 06:35 PM

The "Flacco is a game manager" meme is rooted in memory, not reality. He hasn't been a "game manager" for the last few years. You don't lead the league in attempts over 20 yards 5-6 weeks into the season as a "game manager."

I don't know if they still do, but after 5 weeks this year the Ravens led the league in attempts and plays of 20+ yards.

**landspeed** · 12-05-2012, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by JMUpurkfool

If Cam Cameron outlives Joe Flacco as a Baltimore Raven I will have to seriously assess my fandom.

I highly doubt I watch football next year if they bring him back.

**landspeed** · 12-05-2012, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by SugarRay52

He may not be worth a $100 million at this point but you have to look at the market for QBs, they may need to overpay him a little bit. If he hits the open market he will be one of the best QBs available in what could be a weak free agent QB market. Joe may not be worth $16 mil a year but some desperate team could gamble and pay him that. We know the Ravens have a horrible track record when it comes to QBs and they may not want to start over unless they really really like Tyrod Taylor.

It really makes no sense to pay 100 million for flacco just because hes the only one out there.

Its just a bad business decision anyway you look at it.

**SugarRay52** · 12-05-2012, 07:08 PM

Originally Posted by landspeed

It really makes no sense to pay 100 million for flacco just because hes the only one out there.

Its just a bad business decision anyway you look at it.

You're missing my point, I never said it was a good decision but that won't stop it from happening. The Eagles gave Michael Vick a $100million contract which was a bad decision in my opinion. Certain teams make bad decisions and there will be desperate QB needy teams who could overpay to get Joe if he were to hit the open market. I don't think the Ravens should give Joe a $100 million contract but what he does over these last five games and in the playoffs could change that. Joe still has a chance to up his value.

**PerpetuallyBored74** · 12-05-2012, 07:13 PM

Originally Posted by TL24x7

Some would say that the coaching staff has held Flacco back – specifically Cam Cameron. On the surface it’s hard to argue with that but might there be a reason that the team has held Flacco back? Does the coaching staff see his limitations and therefore they dummy down the offense?

While most will tag Cameron with a plethora of disparaging nicknames, some of which can’t even be printed here, let’s face it, the guy knows more about football than 99% of the fans out there. This has been his life for nearly 30 years and even if he was a 1-15, one year and done head coach, he was one of only 32 coaches of his kind at one point in his career.

So it stands to reason that he is aware of how this is going down, right?

And if he’s not, Cameron’s boss John Harbaugh has to see the problems, right? How could he accept such ongoing offensive inconsistencies unless he is ok with the way things are being handled?

Clearly there’s a major disconnect.

And what's the excuse for Cameron and Harbaugh not using Ray Rice/the running game enough? The fact that Cameron has been an OC who had some success in the past with a different team that had different personnel is IRRELEVANT to his performance with this team. Maybe Cam can only succeed if he has a HoF all-purpose RB and a HoF tight end who are both the complete package--have the speed, the power, the blocking, etc.

Because as good as Pitta is he's nowhere near as good as Gates was, and while Rice can do a lot, he is not real fast, not a power runner or a consistently good pass blocker like LT was.

So, maybe Cam is just too rigid to adjust his offense enough to accommodate the talents of the players he has and instead keeps trying to SquarePegRoundHole them into his system.

There seems to be plenty of evidence of that: he stubbornly refuses in recent games to use Torrey as anything but the '9 route guy', he doesn't put Jacoby on the field often enough, he stuck with Dickson all last season (who physically resembles Gates more than Pitta) even when it was clear to EVERYONE ELSE that Joe preferred Pitta (and with good reason), and he hasn't often used Boldin properly in the 2 and a half seasons he's been here.

It isn't just Joe who is 'underperforming'; it's the ENTIRE offense--INCLUDING THE RUNNING GAME

So, to all you FlaccoHaters/CoachApologists**, I just have this one question for you?

With Yanda, Leach and Rice being among the best run blocking/running back combos IN THE LEAGUE, how is it our RUNNING GAME is ranked in the BOTTOM THIRD OF THE LEAGUE?

Just who's fault is that?

(**just so we're clear, I'm not accusing Tony of being either one)

**knots** · 12-05-2012, 07:26 PM

Given the number of people pining for another QB, if I am Joe's agent I'm taking my talents elsewhere....I don't get some of the fans here...the team finally gets a QB who can actually play and people want him to be the second coming of John Unitas....

there isn't going to be a better QB available via free agency...I know, trade the 2013 first round pick to the Patriots for Ryan Mallett....

**Sua Sponte** · 12-05-2012, 07:35 PM

My personal opinion is that if Cam goes Joe improves (pending who they bring in) or at least the scheme improves. Joe is not elite but he can be very good, pending which way they want to take this team depends on the rest. Keep the above average QB and continue to put out good Defenses he can win a SB and contend for more. I think Joe has the toys to play well, he is not put in position to play well.

You guys have to be watching another game if you think Flacco plays in a good scheme. Give Joe Calvin Johnson, Bradon Marshall, Andre Johnson, Julio Jones, etc... etc... and a good scheme and you will see a guy zipping the ball around. Joe has bad games, Brady has bad games, he always struggles against us (does make him suck?) No... Change the OC and Joe will prevail, not saying he will be elite or not have crappy games, it is the NFL, but he will beat who he is suppose to beat and with good D he will beat playoff caliber teams..

**Captain Silver** · 12-05-2012, 08:08 PM

Bullshit, all of you that think Joe isn't the man.

I watched the last drive last year in Pittsburgh. Give that man an offense that is creative like something Manning has, he will be ELITE.

But for now, we have John Shcebechler, I mean Harbaugh and Cam 1974 Cameron...

You could time travel and get Joe Montana and Jerry Rice from the 80's and today's defenses would sit on the 9 routes.

**PerpetuallyBored74** · 12-05-2012, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by Captain Silver

Hopefully we will get coaching here that has no fear to pull the trigger. Peyton Manning would look like shit under this regime.

Peyton Manning would either need to be IR'ed after taking too many shots while waiting for the WRs to get open downfield as they ran yet another dep slow developing pattern that the opposing D was yet again sitting on...

Or he'd be benched for improvising and calling whatever he wanted at the LoS--a huge 'no-no' in the risk-adverse Ravens system...

Or he'd be in jail for beating whoever is responsible for these crappy gameplans/playcalls (John, Cam, or both) PURPLE

**StingerNLG** · 12-05-2012, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by bacchys

The "Flacco is a game manager" meme is rooted in memory, not reality. He hasn't been a "game manager" for the last few years. You don't lead the league in attempts over 20 yards 5-6 weeks into the season as a "game manager."

I don't know if they still do, but after 5 weeks this year the Ravens led the league in attempts and plays of 20+ yards.

This.

Originally Posted by SugarRay52

If he hits the open market he will be one of the best QBs available in what could be a weak free agent QB market. Joe may not be worth $16 mil a year but some desperate team could gamble and pay him that.

SR it wouldn't be a gamble. If Joe hit the open market there are 10 teams right now that would trip over each other trying to get Joe on the plane to their facility.

**TL24x7** · 12-05-2012, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by blah3

Flacco is more than a game manager.
He should have already been signed.
And the argument that don't overpay because you could hurt your chances to address the rest of the team can be made about ANY player. It really doesn't say much.

You don't think that Joe is handled like a "game manager"? Do you think they unleash him, give him freedom?

If your answer is no then they indirectly are asking him to be a game manager and if that's what you want, it might not be necessarily a bad thing but if that's your chosen direction you can't overpay a game manager and knock your cap out of whack. To be a champion with a game manager you have to be great in other areas (e.g. 2000 Baltimore Ravens)

Can anyone say with confidence what Joe will do on Sunday? Do you know if he'll be that guy who has played in 5 of 6 home games or the guy who has played in the 6 road games?