Denver Broncos: Hoping Flacco is no ordinary Joe

The Denver Broncos have agreed in principle to obtain quarterback Joe Flacco from the Baltimore Ravens. Can he revive his career in the Mile High City?

Exactly one month from now, the Denver Broncos will officially obtain 11-year quarterback Joe Flacco from the Baltimore Ravens. As first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 2008 first-round pick will have a new team in 2019. But the deal is in principle only as the nothing can become official until the new fiscal year for the NFL begins at 4:00 pm ET on March 13.

It’s safe to say that the quarterback position has been a sore spot for the Broncos the past four seasons. And that would include the team’s Super Bowl 50 championship campaign of 2015, when veteran Peyton Manning and Brock Osweiler combined for 19 touchdown passes and 23 interceptions in 16 regular-season games. And it was the club’s defense bailed out then-head coach Gary Kubiak’s club.

Since 2016, there has been four starters in the form of Trevor Siemian, Osweiler (again), Paxton Lynch and Case Keenum. This past season, the latter combined for 18 touchdown passes and 17 turnovers.

Lynch was a first-round pick in 2016 but failed to make an impression. Now it’s Flacco’s turn as team president of football operations/general manager John Elway turns to another option.

But what of the strong-armed signal-caller, who comes off another mediocre season and was limited to nine games due to a hip issue. He finished by throwing for 2,465 yards and twice as many touchdown passes (12) as interceptions. But the Baltimore offense was sporadic at best.

Also keep in mind that since the team’s 2012 Super Bowl championship season in which Flacco threw for a combined 33 scores and just 10 interceptions in 20 overall contests, the experience performer has been picked off 82 times (compared to 116 touchdown tosses) in 85 total outings — including a playoff split with the Steelers and Patriots in 2014.

Perhaps Elway and the Denver Broncos are hoping that Flacco can revive his career in a new venue. New head coach Vic Fangio was part of the Ravens in 2008-09 during the quarterback’s first two NFL seasons. Of course, we also don’t know the parameters of the deal as of now. Nor does anyone know what Elway is planning to do with the 10th overall pick in April.

There’s still a lot of questions ahead when it comes this reported trade. But the Broncos are hoping it winds up being a bang and not a whimper.