Breaking down the Ravens? options with Joe Flacco?s contract

[MadJack]

According to a report from ESPN?s Adam Schefter, the Ravens and Joe Flacco?s agent, Joe Linta, will meet this week at the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis in an attempt to sign the Super Bowl XLVII MVP to a long-term contract.
Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome finds himself in a rare situation as he and the team have no leverage during negotiations. According to Newsome, Flacco turned down a top-five contract prior to the start of the 2012 season, a gamble by Flacco that clearly paid off. Flacco hit a trifecta of crippling feats to the Ravens? bank account during the playoffs- he was perfect with 11 TD?s and 0 INT?s, he won the Super Bowl and was named Super Bowl MVP.
Flacco is in position to demand top-tier money and will be paid top-tier money, whether that comes from a bank account in Baltimore or elsewhere. Reaching an agreement before the March 4 Franchise Tag becomes imperative because placing either of the two Franchise Tag designations (non-exclusive or exclusive) puts the Ravens in a difficult predicament.
To place the non-exclusive franchise tag on Flacco is something the Ravens shouldn?t even be considering. It would benefit the team because they would only be paying Flacco a fully guarnateed one-year contract of $14.6 million, which is below Flacco?s asking price as Newsome previously identified. However, the Ravens would run the risk of losing Flacco to another team interested in a Super Bowl MVP quarterback headed into the prime of his career.
If another team made Flacco an offer, the Ravens would have the opportunity to match it, but that would likely drive Flacco?s price tag above what the Ravens and Flacco would have been willing to agree on previously. The price becomes steep for the theoretical other team as not only would they have to sign Flacco to the expensive contract, but they would have to forfeit two 1st-round draft picks to the Ravens.
Given the mortgaging of future drafts recently by the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Redskins to trade up to select Julio Jones or Robert Griffin III, teams clearly are willing to give up first round picks to draft a coveted player who hasn?t played a down in the NFL. A proven player like Flacco would certainly have suitors on the open market.
If a tag is placed on Flacco, it?ll have to be the Exclusive Franchise Tag, which pays Flacco a guaranteed one-year amount of more than $20 million. :scared Not only would the Ravens be forced to pay more than they?re willing, they?ll be forced to release many key players to afford Flacco. If they have to go this route, they?ll also have practically no way of retaining any players from the Super Bowl team who hit the free agent market.
No matter what move the Ravens make, it?s going to make the front office cringe at the price tag and limit what the team can do to add pieces around Flacco. With football being the cut-throat business that it is, Flacco cannot be expected to take a ?home team discount? because if his performance declines at all during the length of his contract, he has minimal job security.
Flacco shouldn?t be labeled as a bad guy based on his demands and the limitations it places on the team. He?s the franchise quarterback Baltimore has been looking for since Bert Jones and with franchise quarterbacks come big price tags. Through the constant bashing and criticism, he has earned his keep and deserves every dollar he is paid next season.
Owner Steve Bisciotti will ultimately end up writing a bigger check to Flacco than he ever imagined. However, seeing his latest Super Bowl ring on his finger as he signs the check will help soften the blow just a bit.
----------------------------------------------

Tough position for Ozzie. Damn!

Alex Smith is available for a lot less. :shrug:

I don't think I would pay him 6 year $20 million per and that's what he wants, I'm sure.

 

[MadJack]

Non-Exclusive is The Way to go if Ravens Play ?Tag? With Flacco
Posted on February 20, 2013 by Tony Lombardi Print This Post

Hopefully the Ravens and Joe Flacco successfully structure a new long-term deal that is fair.
But what exactly is fair?
A fair deal exists when both sides believe they walked away from the negotiating table leaving something on it. That suggests compromise with the result usually being the greatest good for the greatest number.
But what if the numbers are on opposite ends of the franchise quarterback wage scale spectrum? A compromise then might be about as realistic as a Steelers fan winning a spelling bee.
Then, the number becomes that of the franchise tag.
But which type of franchise tag will the Ravens choose for Flacco if an eleventh hour deal isn?t reached on March 4?
Door No. 1: The Exclusive Franchise Tag
The exclusive tag is a one-year contract that is the average of the top five QB salaries for this year. This average will be set at the end of the restricted free agent signing period on April 19th. The price for the exclusive Franchise Tag is expected to be over $20M. This tag also prohibits any team from negotiating with Flacco.
Door No. 2: The Non-Exclusive Franchise Tag
The non-exclusive Tag is a one-year contract that is the average of the top five players at the position over the prior five years. For 2013, the non-exclusive Tag for Quarterbacks has tentatively been set at $14.6M. Other teams are free to negotiate with Flacco but the Ravens retain the right to match any offer. If they choose not to match, the Ravens receive the signing team?s No. 1 draft pick for the next two years.
Pick Door No. 2.
Ozzie needs to allow the market to set the price for Flacco. Why bid against yourself? Besides the Ravens are too close to Flacco, perhaps even too intoxicated by the lure of the Super Bowl XLVII MVP.
Will the market pay for the Flacco from his last 5 starts or his previous 88 starts when his QB Rating hovered in the mid 80?s? Not a bad QBR but hardly worthy of a $120+ Million contract AND two No. 1 picks.
A misfire on a deal like that will cost jobs.
Some worry that the Cleveland Browns are primed to move on Flacco. Now there?s a team that changes coaches and general managers more frequently than Antonio Cromartie changes baby mommas. A team that has won exactly 1 playoff game since January 6, 1990 (Flacco was 4 at the time); has made only 2 playoff appearances since 1990 and has had only 3 winning seasons since 1990.
Opting for the Browns over the Ravens is like trading in Kate Upton for Joan Rivers.
And please, let?s not dredge up the fact that the Falcons gave up multiple picks to move up to nab Julio Jones in 2011 and how the Redskins did the same to move up to take RGIII in 2012. Those teams moved up to take rookies who cost a fraction of what Flacco will cost.
Admittedly Flacco has most of the negotiating leverage. The Ravens do not have a backup QB worthy of taking over. There is no QB available to them in the draft at No. 32 and please don?t say Alex Smith.
So why give him more leverage with the exclusive tag at $20M?
Such a tag will prove costly not only because it represents 16.5% of the entire salary cap of $120.9M, but it will also make it extremely difficult for the Ravens to keep players like Bryant McKinnie and Anquan Boldin ? both vital to the team?s success this past postseason.
Imagine Flacco without that pair; without Matt Birk; without Jacoby Jones; without Vonta Leach; and dependent upon a rebuilding defense without Ed Reed to help control the clock and tilt the field.
That $5M+ could go a long way towards keeping more of the team in tact.
The Ravens need to realize that they stand out head and shoulders above the potential suitors for Flacco and that Flacco and his young, growing family would prefer to remain close to their roots in Audubon, NJ, just 100 miles away than to drift off to Cleveland or Arizona.
(And no the Eagles and Chip Kelly?s rapid-fire Oregon Ducks offense isn?t an option.)
So let?s just hope the Ravens stand tall and proud and don?t go the ?exclusive? route if the franchise tag is in play.
Otherwise the only thing left on the negotiating table will be unnecessary cap casualties.

 

[MadJack]

Ravens shouldn't overreact when it's time to pay Flacco

The Ravens are being smart and very cautious in their negotiations with star quarterback Joe Flacco.

So far, they haven't caved in to the demands of Flacco's agent, Joe Linta, who says Flacco should be paid as much as Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, who are averaging more than $20 million per season.

Linta is still caught up in the euphoria of Flacco's playoff performances and the former Delaware star's Super Bowl Most Valuable Player award.


Flacco isn't a Manning or a Brees, or a Tom Brady, either. In those particular situations, you risk losing other big-name players and pay the quarterbacks astronomical salaries because they are that good.

Order "Purple Majesty," The Baltimore Sun's new book chronicling the Ravens' Super Bowl championship season.

Flacco isn't.

He's good enough to earn money as one of the top five through 10 quarterbacks in the NFL, but Manning, Brees and Brady carry their respective teams. In Baltimore, Flacco is just a major part of one.

He is a very good quarterback, a big-game performer who was excellent in the postseason and through the Super Bowl, when he tied or set several records.

But let's look through the smoke created by Flacco-mania. He threw some great passes in the playoffs, but he also threw a lot of jump balls and back-shoulder passes that were great catches by Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith. Even the long touchdown pass in the Super Bowl was more of a great effort by Jacoby Jones than a pass by Flacco.

Jones fell down, came back to the ball, broke a tackle and then outran another defender to complete the 56-yard touchdown.

In all honesty, he should have won the Super Bowl MVP. Flacco was great. Jones was better.

Now, that's the rub.

Conditions have to be ideal for Flacco to succeed. He didn't put on his Superman cape until the Ravens put Bryant McKinnie at left tackle, moved Michael Oher to right tackle and inserted Kelechi Osemele at left guard. It wasn't a coincidence that his superhuman performances started late in the season, soon after Jim Caldwell replaced Cam Cameron as offensive coordinator.

For all those great games we saw Flacco play in the postseason, there are others in his past, like the one against Denver in the regular season, that make you cringe.

For the five years he has played in Baltimore, we've seen him extremely hot and extremely cold, so dismal at times that running back Ray Rice had to carry the offense.

It's great that he won a Super Bowl title and won all these playoff games in the past, but there are just as many negative experiences as positive ones. The record certainly isn't impressive enough to force the Ravens to mortgage their future for one player.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh always talks about the team concept, how no one player is bigger than the team. Yet if the Ravens give in to Flacco's demands, they might not be able to re-sign McKinnie, linebackers Dannell Ellerbe and Paul Kruger, and safety Ed Reed.

Or even worse, they might have to cut Boldin, who is expected to make $6 million next season but was a man against boys in the playoffs last season.

You make those sacrifices for a Brady or Brees, not a Flacco, not at this time.

I understand Linta's request. He is basically a no-name trying to make a big splash in the agent market by securing a big-money contract for Flacco.

His arguments are valid, especially about Flacco becoming the highest-paid quarterback, with the Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan and the Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers ready to negotiate new deals in the future.

We've all seen the improvements in Flacco. He is now more comfortable with his receivers than ever. He is moving around in the pocket, even stepping up to throw, and appears to have more pocket awareness. He even made that daring check-off to Boldin on a short pass late in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl.

But he's not in the Manning or Brees class yet. For the most part since coming to Baltimore, Flacco has had a great defense that contributed to a lot of wins. He's also had a great front office and a good head coach, and combined with talent on the field, the Ravens are one of the better franchises in the NFL.

It's all about team.

Around town, there is a lot of sentiment to make Flacco the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. That's expected after a Super Bowl win. But there is no need for the Ravens to overreact.

I expect them to put the exclusive franchise tag on Flacco on Monday and then reach a new deal with him before March 12, when free agency begins.

Somehow, the Ravens have to find a way to pacify Flacco and his agent with a deal that publicly sounds as good as the ones signed by Manning and Brees but doesn't quite pay as much.

He hasn't proved that he is in that class, good enough to carry a franchise. Not yet, anyway.

 

[MadJack]

Does Joe Flacco actually want to leave the Ravens?

The Ravens may soon have to make a critical decision regarding their franchise quarterback, Joe Flacco.

If they don?t sign the Super Bowl MVP to a contract extension before the March 4 deadline to place the franchise tag on a player, the Ravens must decide if they want to employ the more expensive exclusive tag.

If the Ravens use the exclusive tag, Flacco would be in line to make $20.46 million, the average of the top five salary-cap figures for NFL quarterbacks, during the 2013 season. If they used the non-exclusive tender, which carries a price tag of $14.6 million, Flacco would be free to negotiate with other teams and sign elsewhere.

The Ravens said earlier this month that they have a plan, but did not say which tag they planned to place on Flacco should an extension not be finalized on time. The fact that they didn?t come out and reveal their intensions has led to speculation that the Ravens could use the non-exclusive tag and lose Flacco to another team.

Peter King of Sports Illustrated wrote two weeks ago that Flacco ?could be stolen by a quarterback-needy and starved-for-relevance team like Cleveland.? He suggests the Ravens could let Flacco walk, take two first-rounders from the Browns as compensation, and address that need and others in April?s NFL draft.

With all due respect to King, that?s the exact same strategy I use every year when the new ?Madden? game comes out. I trade an established quarterback for picks to I can start over with a virtual one with a 98 speed rating.

King is not the only one who thinks the Ravens are leaving themselves vulnerable to an offer from another team. Ross Tucker, another NFL talking head I respect and enjoy, wrote about it on Twitter this morning, saying that the Browns should throw a ton of money at Flacco because it would be a win-win situation for them. They could land a top-10 quarterback or, if the Ravens match, force the Ravens to overpay for Flacco.

But there is a key question being overlooked during these Flacco doomsday discussions: Does he actually want to go anywhere?

Yes, for a deal to actually take place, Flacco has to sign on the dotted line with another team. He has to willingly choose to leave Baltimore. Other teams can?t just claim him by mailing their picks to 1 Winning Drive. And all indications are that Flacco loves Baltimore and enjoys being close to his family in New Jersey.

You know what else Flacco really enjoys? Winning.

I don?t believe Flacco, having just passed the Ravens to the Lombardi Trophy, is the kind of person who would walk away from a great situation in Baltimore to sign with the Browns -- a team he has beaten 10 times in a row -- or any other quarterback-needy, cellar-dwelling team. The money might be a little bit greener if he were to sign elsewhere, but the proverbial grass -- or the proverbial FieldTurf -- won?t be as green there.

It would be one thing if the negotiations became contentious and Flacco felt as if he was being disrespected, but the conversations between the Ravens and Flacco?s agent have been cordial.

And then there?s always the possibility that Flacco could sign with another team to force the Ravens to up their ante, but that negotiating ploy might be equally as dangerous to Flacco if he does want to stay. Before getting in a game of offer sheet chicken with the Ravens, he would have to be cognizant of the fact that if he signed a lucrative offer sheet with another team, there is a slim chance that he might have to go play there.

Like I said, I have a feeling Flacco meant it when he said after the Super Bowl that he is a ?Raven for life,? and after spending more than a decade looking for a franchise quarterback, the Ravens would be happy to oblige.

It would be risky if they used the non-exclusive tag, but I think they know he doesn?t want to be anywhere else.

 

[MadJack]

The Drama Builds in Flacco Contract Talks

The Drama Builds in Flacco Contract Talks

Will the Ravens and quarterback Joe Flacco be able to reach an agreement on a long-term contract and ease the fears of many Ravens fans?
Real or not, storm clouds appear to be forming.
In the world of negotiations, it can be expected that things will at times turn sour and can often look very bleak leading up to the negotiating deadline.
But, the adage ?Deadlines spur actions? applies.
Neither side is going to make their ?best? offer until they have to, and that ?best offer? often doesn?t comes until the last minute.
But, until then, we?re likely to hear a lot of bad news and moaning and groaning about how little progress is being made. We will also probably hear a lot rationalizing and lot of the ?blame game? being passed around.
For Flacco and the Ravens, there are two important deadlines coming up in the next two week.
The first deadline is next Monday?s deadline for designating Flacco as the team?s Franchise Tag (either Exclusive or Non-exclusive). This is the deadline that most seem to be focused on, BUT it is really only important for determining which of the Franchise Tags the team has decided to use (if they haven?t reached a long-term deal by then).
It is very important to remember that this deadline DOES NOT preclude the team and Flacco from continuing to try and hammer out a long-term deal.
The second deadline is the following Tuesday (March 12th), when the new league year begins.
This is the much more important deadline, because, as of that date, teams must be under the league-wide Salary Cap and if the team is forced to use the Franchise Tag on Flacco, it is at that time the team will have to have enough Cap space to fit Flacco?s Franchise Tag under the Cap.
So, it is at that time that the team will likely need to release some players in order to accommodate the Tag, which could mean that the Ravens will be forced to say goodbye to players like fullback Vonta Leach and linebackers Brendan Ayanbadejo and Jameel McClain (if not others).
So, until then, the major ramifications of the Franchise Tag won?t be felt and the team and Flacco?s agent can continue to try and find a middle ground.
Clearly, though, they haven?t reached that point and it?s becoming more and more apparent that they may not be that close. With each day, there is no news or worse, rumors that things aren?t going well. That, of course, could just be posturing as the sides jockey for public perception, while awaiting the other side?s ?best? offer.
One thing that does seem apparent is that the Ravens are in no hurry to make Flacco the highest paid player in the game. While it seems that they are willing to pay Flacco handsomely, Ozzie Newsome & Co. obviously aren?t willing ? at this time, at least ? to meet Flacco?s asking price.
Just how far apart they are remains to be seen, but next Monday?s Franchise Tag deadline may well provide a clue. If the Ravens opt to use the Exclusive Tag on Flacco, it could well indicate that the parties are close to a deal or at least working diligently towards one. In that case, the Exclusive Tag would ensure that another team would not enter the picture and muck up the works by potentially throwing an offer at Flacco.
On the other hand, if the Ravens opt for the Non-exclusive Tag, it could very well indicate that the parties are far apart on the issue of Flacco?s value and the team is willing to let the market set that value. In that case, not unlike how the Ravens handled Ray Lewis when he was a free agent in 2009, the Ravens would allow Flacco to see if some other team would meet his asking price to prove to the Ravens that Flacco is correct about his market value.
If Flacco couldn?t find such offer, then he would likely be forced to modify his demands and be more accepting of the Ravens version of his market value.
So, while there is some merit to this type of approach, and Ozzie Newsome ? as a former player, himself ? has often preferred that approach, it is not without a lot of risk.
First, obviously, Flacco could sign an offer sheet with another team, and depending on the structure, it could be hard for the Ravens to match. In that case, the Ravens would be left with the consolation prize of two first-round draft picks, but would most certainly ? and justifiably ? be subjected to major scrutiny for losing their franchise quarterback.
The other risk is that, by using the Non-exclusive Tag, the Ravens run the risk of alienating their Super Bowl MVP, and perhaps, driving him into the arms of another team. So, if the Ravens were to pursue this approach, they would have to be sure that their intention of letting the market dictate the contract and their dedication to matching the market offer to Flacco is clearly understood and not interpreted as a slight by their quarterback or his agent.
So, if the Ravens were to pursue this option, they would have to be fairly secure that Flacco is committed to staying in Baltimore and that allowing him to solicit other offers is just part of the negotiating process aimed at reaching a long-term deal in Baltimore.
It appears that most sources close to the deal still think the Ravens and Flacco will find a way to nail down a new contract before March 12, thereby saving the team?s Salary Cap. But such an agreement is not like to happen without plenty of drama.
And so the story goes, as it usually does with this team ? nothing comes easy and there?s never a dull moment.
Tighten your seatbelts!

--------------------------------------------

Just sign him already and get it the fuck over with. CHRIST!

 

[Gags]

He should give half to Champ Bailey and Rahim Moore. :0071

 

[MadJack]

He should give half to Champ Bailey and Rahim Moore. :0071

Gags! Enjoy :toast:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&v=saHoK5dnAKs&NR=1

 

[hawkeye]

So based on what took place with his contract what do you think?

 

[gardenweasel]

i`m reading that the ravens are only taking a 6.8 mill. cap hit in the first year of the contract......

that`s pretty damned cap-friendly and might allow us to keep most of the key pieces intact.....:toast:

could be pretty formidable again next year...

 

[MadJack]

http://russellstreetreport.com/breaking-down-the-early-reports-on-flaccos-new-deal/

So, they got it done!
Joe Flacco and the Ravens have hammered out a long term deal to avoid the dreaded Franchise Tag and provide the team with some much needed Salary Cap space for 2013.
At 1:30 this afternoon, Flacco will sign the deal that makes him ? for now ? the highest paid player in NFL history. The team will hold a celebratory press conference to coronate Flacco as their ?elite? cornerstone quarterback.
There is no question the deal is huge and that it had to get done, but, at what future cost to the team?
So far, we know this much ? $120.6M total value (although recent reports make it $120.8M), of which $52M is guaranteed, with a $29M Signing Bonus and Option Bonuses of $15M and $7M. The first year cash is $30M, 2-year payout is $51M and 3-year payout is $62M.
Based on reports from Albert Breer of the NFL Network, Flacco will receive $80.2M through 4 years, and $100.8M through year 5.
If accurate, the following would be Flacco?s Cap numbers:

Also, according to Breer, of the $52M in guaranteed money, only $30M (2013 Signing Bonus and Base Salary) is fully guaranteed. The rest (the two Option Bonuses) is guaranteed against ?injury only? meaning that, prior to paying those Bonuses, the team could release Flacco for any reason, other than injury, and not have to pay those amounts. That said, on a deal this size, there?s no way the team is going to release Flacco in those early years because the acceleration of that Signing Bonus would be a Cap-killer.
The deal is very Cap-friendly in the early years, but is basically structured so that they will likely have to negotiate a restructure and extension in 2016, the 4th year of the deal. It?s highly unlikely that the team will keep him on the books at a close to $29M Cap number in 2016.
So, is it a good deal?
Only time will tell. After all, there is a huge amount of risk at play when you are talking about a contract this size. Flacco had a lot of leverage and the team is banking on him playing like the true ?elite? quarterback he was during the team?s Super Bowl run. If he was under pressure to perform well enough to earn this type of deal, the pressure is now likely even greater to justify that he deserves it.
One major caution though ? if the reports so far are accurate, it appears that the Ravens, in return for some very low Cap numbers in the first three years of the deal, have handed Flacco a huge amount of leverage in 2016.
If the Ravens and Flacco are unable to reach an agreement on an extension to reduce that 2016 Cap number, the team would either be forced to keep him at that $28.75M Cap number or release him and eat $25.85M in ?dead money? against the Cap. Needless to say, neither is a very appealing option and will give Flacco a huge upper hand at that time.
For the Ravens, they can only hope that his play lives up to the deal and makes the decision on an extension much easier to make, when the time comes.

 

[Old School]

what the market will bear..


and the price for every fan of every team continues to go thru the roof..

won't have to worry about me paying 20 bucks to park and 10 bucks beer..

they will not get a nickle at the stadiums from me.

 

[Corley1011]

I think Flacco deserved a bigger contract, but making him the highest paid player in NFL history is beyond retarded. He was definitely undervalued but not this much. Most of what he throws is the bomb and has a pretty good chance that it will either get caught or will get PI.

 

[Gags]

Ravens should have pro-rated his contract by pro bowl appearances. :0074

 

[canuckfan77]

And the ramifications begin....

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9040950/baltimore-ravens-trade-anquan-boldin-49ers-pick-sources

 

[Old School]

the Ravens are going to suffer..

it's what the Champion does the following year..

some get their big contract ..some get a little extra ..

and others get shown the door..

ya win it all ya pay..

life goes on..

another new Champs this coming season..

there is a reaon they are 14-1 to win it all again..

 

[MadJack]

the Ravens are going to suffer..

it's what the Champion does the following year..

some get their big contract ..some get a little extra ..

and others get shown the door..

ya win it all ya pay..

life goes on..

another new Champs this coming season..

there is a reaon they are 14-1 to win it all again..

Joe Flacco?s contract has nothing to do with Boldin?s trade. Flacco?s cap value was $800,000 less than what Boldin would have been for 2013.

 

[bleedingpurple]

Joe Flacco?s contract has nothing to do with Boldin?s trade. Flacco?s cap value was $800,000 less than what Boldin would have been for 2013.

ESPN Mike and Mike are reporting that the Ravens asked Flacco to restructure 2 million this year to resign Boldin and he refused. That's what they are reporting. If I was Flacco, I would of refused too

 

[canuckfan77]

ESPN Mike and Mike are reporting that the Ravens asked Flacco to restructure 2 million this year to resign Boldin and he refused. That's what they are reporting. If I was Flacco, I would of refused too

Without Boldin Flacco doesn't get that contract, at least that much.

:0003

 

[bleedingpurple]

Without Boldin Flacco doesn't get that contract, at least that much.

:0003

Yeah that's true but Ravens had a chance to sign him for a contract extension for much less the year before. I bet he feels a little slighted even though I don't blame the Ravens for waiting. Newsome must be kicking himself in the ass.

 

[canuckfan77]

I thought it was Flacco that didn't want the extension but to play out the final year :shrug: