The Baltimore Ravens will almost certainly move on from longtime starting quarterback and Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco this coming offseason.
The emergence of rookie Lamar Jackson has made this all but a foregone conclusion. Jackson has won four of his five starts since replacing a then-injured Flacco and has Baltimore in the AFC Playoff hunt heading into Week 16.
If the Ravens were to either release or trade Flacco following the season, there likely wouldn’t be a shortage of interest in a quarterback of his ilk. Even if it were in a stop-gap role, Flacco will likely be a starter in another NFL city next season.
Former Dallas Cowboys executive and NFL Media personality Gil Brandt, a big time insider around the league, believes that the Jacksonville Jaguars are the clear-cut best fit for Flacco.
“The Jaguars are the clear-cut, no-doubt best fit for Flacco,” Brandt noted. “Like Baltimore, Jacksonville boasts a potent defense (sixth in scoring and yards this season) and a capable run game (when Leonard Fournette is healthy, anyway), with a strong offensive line, to boot.”
The Jaguars are expected to move on from recently-benched quarterback Blake Bortles this offseason. It’s in this that we fully expect front office head Tom Coughlin to seek out a veteran replacement.
In reality, the Jags seem to be a great fit. Despite being in the midst of a lost season, the pieces are in place for this team to contend moving forward. Remember, they earned an AFC Championship Game appearance last season.
Flacco, 33, is set to count $26.5 million against the cap next season. Baltimore would incur a $16 million dead cap hit by releasing him. That money could be spread throughout the remainder of his current contract should the team designate him a post-June 1 cut.
There’s also a decent chance Baltimore looks to trade Flacco. Sure his $26.5 million salary for next season would be an issue for other teams. But the Ravens would be forced to take on some of that under the parameters of a deal that runs through the 2021 campaign.
Prior to losing his starting job to Jackson, Flacco had put up 2,465 yards with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions in nine starts.
Brandt also mentioned the Redskins, Buccaneers, Titans and Bengals as potential landing spots for Flacco.