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Joe Flacco Has the Best Contract of Any Quarterback

By Jackson Thompson

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Jan 10, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) looks on prior to the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Sando recently posted an article on ESPN claiming that Joe Flacco has the most player-friendly contract of any quarterback in the league.  This, after taking into account the player’s average earnings per year (APY), non-injury guarantees, and three year APY.

He notes that since Flacco is due a staggering $28.55 million dollars next season, the Ravens will be forced back to the bargaining table to negotiate a lower cap figure for 2016.  They will likely try to divide that cap hit into future years with an extension and more guaranteed money.  You can view a breakdown of Flacco’s contract here:

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So this begs the obvious question: Is Joe Flacco worth this much money?  Going into these contract negotiations, Flacco had probably the most leverage of any player ever.  In 2012, Flacco led the Ravens to an unlikely Super Bowl Championship and was named Super Bowl MVP.  He’d been to the playoffs in each of his first five years in the league.

Before the 2012 season started, Flacco turned down the Ravens’ initial contract extension reportedly worth $16 million a year and declared himself the best quarterback in the league; a statement for which, as the New York Times put it, he was “almost universally mocked.”

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Well, he sure showed the New York Times what was up.  So that happened.  And the Ravens had to pay him.  They had no choice.  Watching Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti talk about Flacco’s contract status during the 2012 playoffs

So Flacco got the largest deal for a quarterback in NFL history at that time.  Six years, $120.6 million.

And he rewarded his owner by going 8-8, missing the playoffs and having the worst statistical year of his career with a miserable QB rating of 73.1.

Can’t win ’em all, right?  A contract of that size puts a lot of pressure on someone.  Even “Cool Joe.”

Fast forward to this past season.  How did Flacco redeem himself?  Oh, he just led an injury-riddled Ravens team through a controversy-laden season to his sixth playoff appearance in seven years.  And they beat the Steelers to boot.

Say what you want about the guy, but he know’s how to win. “He’s Cool Joe,” linebacker Terrell Suggs said to ESPN. “The situation may change, but we don’t. Joe didn’t change. That’s his game. He’s going to make plays.”

“He’s Cool Joe.  The situation may change, but we don’t. Joe didn’t change. That’s his game. He’s going to make plays.”  –Linebacker Terrell Suggs

No, Flacco doesn’t put up the numbers and he’s not the most charismatic QB out there, but he wins football games.  He stabilizes the most prized and important position in all of sports.  The Ravens don’t need to worry about Flacco, he’ll take care of business.  They can focus on building the kind of defense they’re known for.  At the end of the day, if you were the owner of a franchise worth over a billion dollars, wouldn’t you want to pay a little extra for that peace of mind?  Just think, you could be the Cleveland Browns.  Woof.

Next: Daily Caw: Ravens Sign Another Corner

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