Flacco's Agent: Target Contract is 5 years $96 million with $18 guaranteed

[KSweeley]

Link: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap100...nty-agent-says

Joe Linta said Tuesday that his client should be the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL, and reiterated those comments Wednesday on SiriusXM NFL Radio.

"Well, is he gonna be? I don't know. Should he be? Absolutely," Linta said.

Linta praised the Ravens' front office as "pros," and downplayed the notion of a pending conflict with the team, but when asked about a target number for Flacco, he pointed to Peyton Manning's five-year, $96 million contract with the Denver Broncos, which includes $18 million guaranteed.

[bmore_ken]

$19M per, I don't see that happening

[AnonymousTerpsFan]

If this is what his agent is putting out, then this shouldn't take too long. Why shouldn't Flacco get 96 mil? Tweat those numbers a tad, make this deal cap friendly and SIGN ON THE X

[OriginalColtsFan]

$19M per, I don't see that happening

Too low?

(I don't see the $18M guaranteed at all. That's nothing. Guaranteed money is going to be $40-50M at least.)

[Tootsie]

I would be very pleased if we only gave him $18M guaranteed

[OriginalColtsFan]

I would be very pleased if we only gave him $18M guaranteed

It might be $18M in the first year. But not over the entire contract period. Never going to happen.

[cprenegade]

Linta said Flacco deserves to be the highest paid QB in the league. I don't see him backing off of that and it is hard to argue with him. His playoff run this year and body of work in the playoff's warrant it. Eli got it after his superbowl a few years ago. Flacco and the Ravens gambled when the contract didn't get done after last year. The Ravens chose to do Rice instead. Flacco won that gamble, the Ravens lost it. He now gets the big money if they want to keep him. I see no way he gets anything less than Peyton. He beat Peyton in the playoffs, and has a better playoff record than Brees. I could see the Raven's having to make Flacco the highest paid QB in the league. He earned it with his playoff performance.

[DColeman]

Well looks like we're off to the start of a wth, omg, sob,and are you serious type of off season...

[bmore_ken]

Well looks like we're off to the start of a wth, omg, sob,and are you serious type of off season...

Should be quite interesting

[Peej7245]

The "body of work" is nice...so is consistently elevating his game for the postseason...so is the Lombardi trophy and SB MVP.

What I believe will be the deciding factor is the Ravens opinion that Flacco's even headedness and work ethic will convert this magical run over the past 6 games into a consistently higher level of performance in the Regular Season.

[numark]

When negotiating, you always start high! The Ravens will counter until they reach a settlement. The answer is always somewhere in between. Does Joe wanna get paid, win more championships, or both?

[ivanbalt]

The "body of work" is nice...so is consistently elevating his game for the postseason...so is the Lombardi trophy and SB MVP.

What I believe will be the deciding factor is the Ravens opinion that Flacco's even headedness and work ethic will convert this magical run over the past 6 games into a consistently higher level of performance in the Regular Season.

Another thing to look at is age and health. Flacco is still young and has never missed a start. Vick is one of the top 5 highest paid players and he's missed 13 starts in the past 3 seasons.

[bmore_ken]

The "body of work" is nice...so is consistently elevating his game for the postseason...so is the Lombardi trophy and SB MVP.

What I believe will be the deciding factor is the Ravens opinion that Flacco's even headedness and work ethic will convert this magical run over the past 6 games into a consistently higher level of performance in the Regular Season.

That's my concern with giving him $20M per year. I mean just a few weeks ago, there were people here saying he possibly shouldn't even be resigned. Because he won a SB now the rest of last season didn't happen? and don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he is or isn't worth $20M per, just that's a major gamble with your cap when the guy hasn't been consistent on a game to game basis.

[baltiMOREO&R]

Joe's agent stated he (and Joe) understands CAP numbers and what it means to the team... and want to do something that works for both sides. That sounds good. Look for a longet term deal (7 or 8 years) with the annual money they want ($19M) and a larger signing bonus ($40M) that enables them to stretch it out over the lond term and keep the CAP hit per year high but manageable somewhat for the Ravens.

Either way a huge per year CAP hit. We are going the Patriots model. High cost octane offense... patch work defense for the next 8 years. Hey it works for N.E. Just hope Joe meets Brady's consistency over the long term.

[weird-O]

That's my concern with giving him $20M per year. I mean just a few weeks ago, there were people here saying he possibly shouldn't even be resigned. Because he won a SB now the rest of last season didn't happen? and don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he is or isn't worth $20M per, just that's a major gamble with your cap when the guy hasn't been consistent on a game to game basis.

there are times in the regular season when Joe frustrates us. so your point is valid. but some/much of that could have been Cam's doing. all teams have rough patches in the regular season. but Joe has taken the Ravens to the playoffs in all 5 of his seasons. and he's taken them to the AFC championship game in 3 of those 5.

furthermore, he takes them to the SB last year if Evans catches the ball. then there were the perfect passes that Boldin and Houshmandzadeh dropped against Pittsburgh. that would have taken the team to the AFC championship game for a 4th time.

he gets them to the big games, and then he does everything asked of him to win them.

the big question is, can he deliver these same results if the team has to downgrade at several other positions to keep him at his desired salary.

that's the only question I have about him. is he a Brady-Manning type. in their prime, those guys could win with a pee-wee team around them. if he wants their money, he better be good enough to carry the whole team.

[SouthSideFan]

The is great problem for the Ravens.

It's like hitting the lottery. I just won $500,000,000! But I have to give half of it back to Uncle Sam in taxes.... Give me that problem :-)

We got us a franchise QB!

[ivanbalt]

that's the only question I have about him. is he a Brady-Manning type. in their prime, those guys could win with a pee-wee team around them. if he wants their money, he better be good enough to carry the whole team.

Manning was the Colts during the regular season, but he was pretty bad in the postseason given the amount of high-seeded trips. And Brady can obviously throw to anyone that lines up, but the Patriots haven't a Superbowl since they went from a defensive team to high-powered offense.

If Joe can continue to have postseason success (and on the road), he's worth it. Assuming the Ravens make the playoffs.

[Peej7245]

That's my concern with giving him $20M per year. I mean just a few weeks ago, there were people here saying he possibly shouldn't even be resigned. Because he won a SB now the rest of last season didn't happen? and don't get me wrong, I'm not saying he is or isn't worth $20M per, just that's a major gamble with your cap when the guy hasn't been consistent on a game to game basis.

I could give a [fecal matter] about "... people were saying ..." with regards to Flacco in the regular season. There are so many variables from game-to-game that ....

Let me put it this way, there are two tangible and two less-than-tanbible objectives for any team during the Regular Season:

Tangible

1. Get to the playoffs
2. Get the highest seed possible in the playoffs

Less-Than-Tangible

3. Get all phases clicking when the playoffs start
4. Get all players healthy for the playoffs

If your objective is to be a great fantasy football team, Flacco is not your guy. If your objective is to be a SB winner, Flacco has just proven he can lead the team to that "promised land".

It might be this last item that the Ravens value most.

[LarryN]

Aaron Rodgers (and I'm sure others) are watching closely:

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/89...o-new-contract

"I think everybody is going to see what Joe [Flacco] ends up signing for," Rodgers said Tuesday on his weekly radio show on 540 ESPN. "I'm sure they want to lock him up. He's a great player -- had an incredible run in the playoffs -- and I'm sure they want to keep him around. A guy like that, with the postseason success he's had, you want to keep a guy like that around for a while."

Also a former Super Bowl MVP, Rodgers is under contract through 2014, having signed a six-year, $65 million contract in October 2008. Rodgers' base salary next season is $9.25 million, while his 2014 deal is worth $10.5 million. Manning ($18 million base salary) and Brees ($20 million base) also are former Super Bowl MVPs.

Joe's contract is going to have ramifications League-wide.

[Fang]

Joe deserves to get paid, but let's hope it's not at the expense of talented players around him.