No, the Baltimore Ravens can’t just get rid of Joe Flacco

With the struggles of the Baltimore Ravens offense, there are plenty of fans who are calling for the team to get rid of Joe Flacco. But what they don’t understand is it’s not that easy.

Another game and another putrid performance by the Baltimore Ravens offense. Without their top three top receivers, the Ravens couldn’t get anything going and mustered up just 250 yards of offense.

Ravens fans have been visibly frustrated with the product on the field and rightfully so. But week after week I hear fans constantly calling for the team to cut quarterback Joe Flacco. It’s a frustrating narrative that some people just don’t seem to understand.The Ravens’ offensive problems go far beyond the quarterback spot and the unfortunate reality is that the team is stuck with Joe Flacco for the time being. He’s not going anywhere.

Flacco’s contract alone makes it impossible to cut him. He’s making the most money of any quarterback this year at $24.5 million and the Ravens would take a $53 million hit in dead money if they cut him. The dead money decreases the next two years but is still a significant hit, especially for a team struggling with cap room to begin with. There’s a potential out in Flacco’s contract in 2020, but that seems like years away. No other team wants Flacco, especially the financial burden they’d take on.

The Ravens did what they had to do at the time to pay Flacco in 2012 and he hasn’t played up to expectations. Now the team is financially married to him for at least another two years.

The bottom line

Has Flacco struggled this season? Absolutely, no one is doubting that, but the offensive problems go way past the quarterback. Four touchdowns to eight interceptions through seven weeks is mediocre and that’s being kind, but Flacco has no weapons around him. The offensive line is on their last leg, the team’s best running back was signed off the practice squad of another team and the top three receivers have either been hurt or non-existent on the field.

I’m not going to go into anymore details or rants about the offense because it’s like beating a dead horse at this point. But I will say this, you’re naive if you think Flacco is the source of all of the Ravens’ problems. He’s the easy one to blame, but it’s a team effort and the Ravens aren’t playing well as a team.

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For the time being, Joe Flacco isn’t going anywhere and the Ravens need to accept that reality and either start planning for the future or finally surround him with some offensive weapons.