Since the Baltimore Ravens moved up to the back end of the first round of this year's draft to take Louisville's Lamar Jackson, Joe Flacco's long-term standing with the team has been a topic of conversation.
This created the perception that Flacco could be feeling a little uneasy by the situation of having a young promising quarterback behind him. According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, the 33-year-old quickly dispelled that notion by stating that the organization has welcomed Jackson with “open arms.”
Flacco said it’s unfortunate people think he has a grudge with Lamar Jackson. “We welcome Lamar with open arms.”
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) May 24, 2018
There is clearly no animosity stemming from Flacco about the presence of Jackson, but rather a more welcoming attitude that could see him help guide the 20-year-old along in his first NFL season. Although the move to snag a quarterback in the first round is a signal that his time in Baltimore is winding down, he doesn't look to be threatened by the situation.
Flacco has brought much stability to the franchise by helping guide them to success from the get-go when he entered the league in 2008, leading the team to six playoff appearances in his first seven seasons while winning Super Bowl XLVII, where he earned MVP honors. However, he has struggled over the last few years with the Ravens missing the playoffs in each of the last three campaigns.
On top of that, there appears to be some wiggle room for the franchise with his contract after 2019, as he only holds a $8 million dead cap hit in 2020, and the final year of his deal in 2021 has no financial commitments. This has left the door open for the Ravens to possibly get out from under his contract if Jackson proves that he can be the long-term solution under center by that point. At the moment, Flacco has no discomfort with the situation that could become more prominent down the line for the organization.
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