The Baltimore Ravens may be a team on the verge of a drastic change in 2018. Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco has been the face of the franchise ever since the retirement of Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, but he could be taking a backseat to a younger and more athletic option during the upcoming season with the arrival of rookie Lamar Jackson.
Although the Ravens brass decided against trading up high enough in the 2018 NFL Draft to grab one of the top-tier quarterbacks available like Baker Mayfield or Sam Darnold, the team traded back and were able to get their hands on Jackson with the last pick in the first round. As a result, the team as a bit of a quarterback controversy brewing with Baltimore also signing Robert Griffin III this offseason to compete with Flacco.
Griffin recently talked about the addition of Jackson and how the rookie coming to Baltimore was perceived by him and Flacco, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
“When they drafted Lamar, I didn’t look at it as a shot at me or a shot at Joe [Flacco],” Griffin said. “It was ‘OK, Lamar is coming in here, and it’s our job to help him learn the offense and help him compete.’ So, for me, my job is to show them that I’m an asset to the team and not a detriment. . . . One [reporter] asked me if I was trying to showcase for other teams. No, my focus is, ‘I’m a Baltimore Raven. I’m showcasing to them that this is where I’m supposed to be.'”
At this point, Flacco is expected to be the starter once the 2018 campaign gets underway in September. However, the veteran will have the added pressure of having two quarterbacks behind him with entirely different styles of play ready to prove their worth in Baltimore.
Flacco, who led the team to a Super Bowl title back in February of 2013 while earning MVP honors, is coming off a season in which he was unable to spark the offense enough to help secure a playoff spot in the AFC. Although the veteran quarterback has been a decent option for Baltimore over the years, the defense has always been the team's strength with players like Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Ed Reed, and Eric Weddle leading the way.
With Flacco's numbers not jumping off the stat sheet over the last couple of seasons and the offense in need of a boost, the former Super Bowl MVP could be in danger of losing his spot if he struggles next season.
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