Denver Broncos: Joe Flacco trade may be a bridge move
By trading for former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, the Denver Broncos have locked up a starting quarterback for at least a year. But, they may be all they need Flacco for.
The Denver Broncos have made one of the biggest splash moves of the offseason. Any time a big-name quarterback gets traded or signs as a free agent, it’s always a big story, and this one is no different. On Wednesday, the Broncos acquired former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.
Flacco has been a staple of the Ravens and the AFC North as a whole since taking over as a rookie in 2008. His noticeably strong arm served him well in Baltimore, and his legendary 2012 postseason performance landed him a Super Bowl ring and the Super Bowl XLVII MVP award. And yet, this move might not be the future of the Broncos after all.
Despite Flacco’s accolades, the Broncos were able to secure him for just a fourth-round pick. It’s clear that Baltimore was eager to move on from Flacco in favor of the athletic, yet still very raw, Lamar Jackson. Moving forward with Jackson will likely mean a permanent change in Baltimore’s offense, at least until Jackson can fully control and master his arm talent.
Moving back to Denver’s side, there’s nothing here that precludes them from taking a quarterback in the 2019 NFL Draft. The two moves are not mutually exclusive, and they will, more than likely, work hand in hand with each other.
In fact, the Broncos have been linked to a specific quarterback in this draft class for months, and adding Flacco would put a perfect mentor in place for the youngster.
Missouri’s Drew Lock is a raw, yet supremely talented signal-caller, and mock draft have put him in Denver for months on end. The 6-4 22-year old has a rocket for an arm, but needs some time to develop into a bona fide franchise quarterback. For Denver, this is exactly where new addition Joe Flacco comes into play, quite literally.
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With one year left on his contract, this is going to work out perfectly for the Broncos. They can bring Flacco in, have him help bring to Lock along for a year, and then throw Lock out of the frying pan and into the fire. It should be noted: rarely do these “bridge quarterback” type moves work, but when they do, they can pay dividends. It looks like John Elway and the Broncos have made their investment.