Though talks have been ongoing for several weeks, the Baltimore Ravens have yet to reach an agreement with quarterback Joe Flacco, the team’s first-round pick in the 2008 draft.
“We’re progressing,” agent Joe Linta told ESPN.com’s James Walker on Tuesday. “Hopefully we can continue to make progress as we aim to get him into camp on time.”
The other quarterback drafted in round one, Matt Ryan of the Falcons, is already under contract. Last year, both of the two first-rounder signal-callers, JaMarcus Russell and Brady Quinn, had lengthy holdouts.
And Flacco should learn from last year’s decision by Quinn to avoid camp for so long. Quinn’s delayed arrival allowed Derek Anderson to begin the season at No. 2 behind Charlie Frye, which put Anderson in position to relieve Frye after he stunk it up in Week One. Anderson thereafter established a stranglehold on the job, and now Quinn enters his second season stuck on the bench.
If Flacco fails to get to camp on time, he might eventually find himself behind a starting quarterback who is able to play loose and relaxed because he realizes that it’s only a matter of time before Flacco takes over. By this time next year, Flacco could be the next Brady Quinn.
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July 8th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Word out of the Ravens camp is they haven’t been able to meet face to face because Brian Billick’s head is still stuck in the door.
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July 8th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
By this time next year, Flacco could be the next Aaron Rodgers…after the Ravens trade for Brett Favre, Flacco will have to deal with the annual, will he retire butt-raping that Rodgers is now waaaaaaaaaay too familiar with.
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July 8th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
I like the analogy. Troy Smith could very well be a new Derek Anderson.
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July 8th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Flacco is the MAN!!!!
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July 8th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Yeah, I agree. It’s advisable for Joe Flacco to get into camp as soon as possible.
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July 8th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
While I agree that it’s imperative for Flacco to be in camp on time, and that any delay could clearly hurt him the way waiting hurt Quinn, I think it’s a little early to be hitting the panic button just yet.
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July 8th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
I don’t agree. Ozzie & Billick couldn’t find a decent quarterback for years on end. There is no threat to Flacco here. He should get the best deal he can get. Letting the new Ravens regime have another big helping of Kyle Boller magic during training camp will only strenghten Flacco’s negotiating position.
It’s almost like PFT is trying to spook draft choices into signing as quickly as possible. I’ve yet to see this site recommend that a player sit tight and ask for more money. It’s even disagreed on players getting to reap the benefits from contracts they have previously negotiated and which franchises now have to pay on, i.e., the Larry Fitzgerald contract.
Flacco should get the best deal possible since the franchise is surely going to get as many years as they can. Since an NFL franchise is a very large entity with a lot of sophistication and experience in the contract negotiations process, it is unwise to be hasty or needlessly leave money on the table.
If a franchise does not think they are getting value for the contract, they can cut the player. If the player believes he has performed beyond the pay scale in his contract, he cannot simply void his deal.
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July 8th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
Whats wrong with Mcnair?
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July 8th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
erm…last time I checked there was more than 20 people drafted ahead of him who have yet to sign.
really stupid/unnecessary post by florio.
as for troy smith being this year’s DA…if our O-line plays like the stain’s line did last year I would be giddy to see Troy Smith behind it.
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July 8th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
*almost not more
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July 9th, 2008 at 2:15 am
Wingnut:
Are you dumb, or just trolling? McNair retired.
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July 9th, 2008 at 8:12 am
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Let him sit out and get used to riding the pine for the forseeable future. Baltimore needs a QB that wants to play instead of wanting to get paid first.
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July 9th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Not a Ravens fan by any means, but if Joe Flacco wants a chance to play in the next two years he should take a lesson from Brady Quinn, and Philip Rivers. Joe will be nailed to the Raven’s pine holding a clipboard while Troy Smith shows people why he should have been drafted higher.
As a rookie he hadn’t thrown a pick, had a rating of 80 and could use his legs when in trouble.
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July 9th, 2008 at 10:30 am
(shakes head at your morons)
Ozzie never signs first rounders right off the bat, in order to make sure he pays them what they are worth. THAT IS WHY HE IS ONE OF THE BEST GMs in football. There will not be a holdout, it is just going to take until more contracts in front of him and behind him are done. Don’t make a story out of nothing if you do not understand how the rookie signing process works. The Quinn holdout was the product of a one time suspected #1 overall dropping like hell. And qb’s like Jamarcus have all the bargaining power in the world because no one was taken in front of them.
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July 9th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I heard that Joe Flacco claimed that if someone else ended up starting, that he would transfer to a team in the AFL where he would have the opportunity to start.
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