Baltimore Ravens: ‘Bleacher Report’ Predicts Disappointing Season For Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco has been viewed as one of the NFL’s most overrated quarterbacks over the last few years. Not only has he been unable to play at an elite level, he has also led the Baltimore Ravens to mediocrity since receiving a massive contract. Heading into the 2018 season, there are quite a few who aren’t expecting big things from Flacco.
Bleacher Report certainly isn’t expecting a good season from Flacco, calling him the one player that is expected to disappoint the most for the Ravens.
“Problem is, the Ravens can’t do much about Flacco—they’re stuck with him as a result of that contract. That’s why the Ravens selected Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson with the final pick in the first round of the 2018 draft and why the coaching staff is making noise about getting Flacco and Jackson on the field at the same time—it’s trying to make the best of an untenable situation in which the franchise quarterback is on a major downhill slide. Unless Flacco reaches a point of excellence we haven’t seen of him in years, there’s no way he won’t be a disappointment.”
Last season with the Ravens, Flacco ended up completing 64.1 percent of his pass attempts for 3,141 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. Those numbers aren’t going to bring a championship to Baltimore anytime soon.
At 33 years old, the Ravens may already be looking to the future past Flacco. As the article clip above mentioned, the Ravens drafted Lamar Jackson in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. It was a move that excited the fans in Baltimore and many are hoping to see the rookie get some playing time.
Joe Flacco on his way back to being an elite QB? ?https://t.co/pleBGHVQrv pic.twitter.com/hcCIFDauLJ
— theScore (@theScore) June 15, 2018
Flacco still has plenty of time left on the contract that the Ravens gave him. He has four more seasons left on his deal, although there is a potential out following the 2020 season. That fact alone has Baltimore fans worried about the long-term direction of the franchise.
The article also dropped a statement that shows just how disappointing Flacco has been since his big contract extension in 2016.
“In fact, over the last three seasons, no quarterback with at least 1,000 passing attempts has been less efficient than Flacco.”
Needless to say, the Ravens are hoping that Flacco can bounce back and prove his critics wrong in 2018. Baltimore brought in Michael Crabtree, John Brown, and Willie Snead this offseason in free agency to give Flacco more weapons to work with. Mike Wallace, who was one of the top targets for the Ravens last season, did end up leaving in free agency.
Only time will tell if B/R’s prediction is right about Flacco. Baltimore cannot afford many more mediocre seasons with Flacco under center and this year could be the beginning of the end for him with the Ravens.
