Ongoing Flacco Contract Negotiations (Merged)

[Bigfish]

So in other words, there is near zero chance they'd use the non-exclusive, especially if they are confident a deal will be struck by March 12.

I don't know what they'll do. Exclusive tag will cost them 20m. As I mentioned earlier, if Joe and his agent are intent on making the most money they possibly can without any other consideration, then they will have to use the exclusive tag to keep him if a contract is not possible. Non-exclusive will be a bidding war that we would lose. Not only the Browns, but Miami could enter the fray with huge CAP space.

[leachisabeast]

I will say it again, we're simply FUCKED if we have to give him the exclusive tag.

[Bigfish]

I will say it again, we're simply FUCKED if we have to give him the exclusive tag.

If I had to bet on it I would say they won't put an exclusive tag on him for 1 year. What would Joe be worth on the open market with a non-exclusive tag? I can see someone with a lot of CAP space bidding him up and beyond 20m per year and the Ravens not matching that. I'm sure the Ravens want to sign Joe, I'm just not so confident that Joe and his agent are going to be reasonable especially considering how negotiations went last year. If Joe wants to stay here he will.

Until there's a signed contract I have to consider losing him. Do we get Alex Smith or someone else? Will we get 2 #1 picks low in the draft? We'll be able sign our free agents, etc.

[leachisabeast]

If I had to bet on it I would say they won't put an exclusive tag on him for 1 year. What would Joe be worth on the open market with a non-exclusive tag? I can see someone with a lot of CAP space bidding him up and beyond 20m per year and the Ravens not matching that. I'm sure the Ravens want to sign Joe, I'm just not so confident that Joe and his agent are going to be reasonable especially considering how negotiations went next year. If Joe wants to stay here he will.

Until there's a signed contract I have to consider losing him. Do we get Alex Smith or someone else? Will we get 2 #1 picks low in the draft? We'll be able sign our free agents, etc.

Like I said, I'd rather trade for a Kirk Cousins if it comes to that. Alex Smith would be a disaster here. Elvis Grbac anyone?

[Paintballguy]

If I had to bet on it I would say they won't put an exclusive tag on him for 1 year. What would Joe be worth on the open market with a non-exclusive tag? I can see someone with a lot of CAP space bidding him up and beyond 20m per year and the Ravens not matching that. I'm sure the Ravens want to sign Joe, I'm just not so confident that Joe and his agent are going to be reasonable especially considering how negotiations went next year. If Joe wants to stay here he will.

Until there's a signed contract I have to consider losing him. Do we get Alex Smith or someone else? Will we get 2 #1 picks low in the draft? We'll be able sign our free agents, etc.

“I would say to you, of the other 52 players on the roster, how many of the other 52 [took less money]?” said Linta, who has argued Flacco should be the highest-paid quarterback in the league. “Do you work with [the Ravens] in terms of structure to help them out? Absolutely. But like I said, we all took risks. And I don’t think anybody was gonna feel sorry for Joe if he turned down a contract in July and didn’t have a great year and now was faced with less than what we’re talking about. Look, there’s risk on both sides, and somebody could be saying to the Ravens, ‘Hey, don’t you think it’s worth sacrificing some areas of your team to keep your franchise quarterback?’ There’s arguments on both sides, believe me.”

[Bigfish]

“I would say to you, of the other 52 players on the roster, how many of the other 52 [took less money]?” said Linta, who has argued Flacco should be the highest-paid quarterback in the league. “Do you work with [the Ravens] in terms of structure to help them out? Absolutely. But like I said, we all took risks. And I don’t think anybody was gonna feel sorry for Joe if he turned down a contract in July and didn’t have a great year and now was faced with less than what we’re talking about. Look, there’s risk on both sides, and somebody could be saying to the Ravens, ‘Hey, don’t you think it’s worth sacrificing some areas of your team to keep your franchise quarterback?’ There’s arguments on both sides, believe me.”

I agree there's risks on both sides and Joe's gamble paid off for him. I don't know exactly what he turned down last year to gauge how much more he will want this year, but his price definitely went up. Hopefully they get together soon and iron out something palatable to both sides.

[lobachevsky]

Linta ... has argued Flacco should be the highest-paid quarterback in the league. “Do you work with [the Ravens] in terms of structure to help them out? Absolutely. But like I said, we all took risks.”

I don't think Joe's greedy--I think he wants to be paid what he's worth more as acknowledgement of his value than anything else. In which case the Ravens aren't going to get a hometown discount, but will have the flexibility to tailor the deal. If Flacco can say at the end of the day that he's the highest (or very-nearly highest) paid player in the NFL, he's not going to balk at terms that push some of that money to the out-years...particularly if it helps keep the pieces in place for a run at more rings.

At least I hope he doesn't. If he does, then the Ravens really are (as Beau might put it) entre la roche et la place dure....

[pslholder96]

Like I said, I'd rather trade for a Kirk Cousins if it comes to that. Alex Smith would be a disaster here. Elvis Grbac anyone?

Disaster would be letting Flacco walk. This would set us back a good # of years in regards to contending. And yes it's possible to sign Flacco to a mega contract and still surround him with good talent to succeed year in and year out.

[rlh445]

Disaster would be letting Flacco walk. This would set us back a good # of years in regards to contending. And yes it's possible to sign Flacco to a mega contract and still surround him with good talent to succeed year in and year out.

lol i sure hope so.

[admartian]

This is dragging out too long for my liking. Wake me up when we sign him...

[pslholder96]

lol i sure hope so.

Proof is in the pudding. See Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Pats and Colts were contending for years with two of the highest paid QBs at the time

[rlh445]

Proof is in the pudding. See Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. Pats and Colts were contending for years with two of the highest paid QBs at the time

eh i don't like comparing flacco to those two in their primes when they got their contracts, but you're probably right and i'm a worry wart :)