The New York Jets may have been gifted a golden opportunity with Joe Flacco’s most recent headline. It would provide stable depth at the QB position for the next 2 years while saving more draft capital to build an O-line through the draft.
Flacco Would Consider Being a Backup
We all know that Joe Flacco isn’t having the easiest time in the league. Injury paved the way for Lamar Jackson to usurp his position in Baltimore, before being traded to Denver. Moreover, injury this season allowed Drew Locke to step up and show that “I’m here now, and it’s my job to keep.” Flacco could very easily be back for the 2020 season by training camp, but a herniated disk in his neck is no laughing matter. Which is why, in an interview on Monday, Flacco was quoted as saying:
What We Stand to Gain
We stand to gain a veteran QB presence who can give guidance to a still developing, Sam Darnold. He has a career 84.1 QB rate, according to Pro-Football.Reference.com, with over 200 touchdowns, a Super Bowl championship to boot. Because we’d be potentially alleviating salary against Denver’s cap, we could also stand to pick up a draft pick or two.
What We Stand to Lose
Adam Gase has made no bones about his dissatisfaction with Le’Veon Bell on the team. His end of the season press conference was… well, telling. So trading Bell seems like the logical move that Gase will be pushing. A player of Bell’s caliber could give us the leverage to pick up those extra picks.
As would Jamal Adams. Adams would be an excellent complement to Denver’s already potent defense. And with Von Miller not getting any younger, the Bronco’s maybe looking for his heir apparent.
But Sam’s health problems (mono and an injury that sidelined him for more than a few games in 2018), coupled with our lackluster backups… yea, Flacco makes more sense than no for the Jets to pursue this offseason.