The Baltimore Ravens may be in the market for a quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft next week. Starting quarterback Joe Flacco said when asked, he wasn’t too concerned if that does happen.
“It is what it is. It’s a business,” Flacco said, via the team’s official website. “Eventually, at some point, that’s going to have to happen. It’s not really for me to worry about.”
As Kevin Patra of NFL.com points out, the team recently signed Robert Griffin, III to serve as the team’s backup, however Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome may be looking toward the future with this draft class.
“Flacco has four years remaining on his contract, but after this season Baltimore could get out of the deal, and the dead money on the salary cap is not prohibitive if they moved on in 2020,” added Patra.
“The 33-year-old struggled through a back injury last offseason and put up one of the worst years of his career. Flacco completed 64.1 percent of 352 pass attempts for 3,141 yards and a career-low 5.7 yard per attempt average with 18 TDs and 13 interceptions.”
He did quarterback the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl XLVII, winning the game’s MVP award. He played college football at Delaware after transferring from Pittsburgh, and was drafted by the Ravens in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft, the same draft class that produced Atlanta Falcons signal caller Matt Ryan.
Right now, Flacco is focused on the 2018 season and helping the Baltimore Ravens reach the playoffs. He cannot control the team’s future.
“I come in here and you worry about what’s here and now, and doing your job — which is for me right now, getting guys out there working hard and making sure we’re moving towards our goal of getting to that championship,” Flacco said.
The Baltimore Ravens currently hold the 16th pick in the first round and could have a shot to select Louisville’s Lamar Jackson or Mason Rudolph from Oklahoma State. Someone like Western Kentucky’s Mike White could be an option in round two.