Elite

[BmorePat87]

(10-12-2015, 10:10 PM)Whatever Wrote: Problem is, Flacco is the NFL's 7th highest paid player this year, making over $20 million.  You can't pay the man like a Rodgers or Brady if he can't do more with less like a Rodgers or Brady, because his large contract makes it difficult to consistently keep a good arsenal of weapons around him and/or a great defense that limits the number of plays he has to make to win games.  Compounding the problem is the fact that Ozzie Newsome is terrible at drafting WR's, and is forced to overpay veteran FA WR's to have a legitimate receiving threat out there instead of relying on cheaper options on rookie contracts, and when he can't afford Flacco and a veteran #1 and #2, the offense is hosed.

You do have to pay him that. $20m is the going price for a franchise QB. Look at who is currently making more money than him. Look at who is making about 1-3m less a year than him. The deal is about to get really tough for the team to work with if it isn't restructured, but it was designed to allow the Ravens to build around him in the first 3 years of it. Cap wise, he hasn't been even in the top 10 for QBs since signing his contract until this year. Even now, his cap hit isn't what is limiting the Ravens. They have about $20m tied up in dead money.

Though, you're right that Ozzie is awful at drafting WRs. I was reading an article the other day about how they passed up on this WR a few years back and got this back up  D lineman that left after 3 years of never starting. The WR was drafted with the very next pick. The scouting report said he'd never be more than a return guy. To be fair, he does return kicks for his team. His name is Anthony Brown or something. Maybe Antonio?