WASHINGTON — The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to a deal that will send quarterback Joe Flacco to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a mid-round draft pick, according to multiple reports.
Due to NFL rules, no trade can become official or be announced until March 13.
Flacco, 34, played in nine games for Baltimore in 2018. He completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 2,465 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions, and had an 84.2 QB rating. Flacco suffered a hip injury that opened the door for rookie Lamar Jackson, who went 6-1 as the starting QB and helped the Ravens win the AFC North.
Flacco has played his entire 11-year career with the Ravens, who drafted him with the 18th overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft out of the University of Delaware. Baltimore made the playoffs seven times during his tenure, including an impressive 2012 run that culminated in a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII, a game in which Flacco was named MVP.
During the 2012 postseason, Flacco set an NFL record by posting a passer rating over 100 in each of his four playoff games. His performance netted him a six-year, $120.6 million contract that, when he signed it, was the richest-ever for a QB.
For the Broncos, the deal gives them an upgrade over incumbent starter Case Keenum. Flacco has ties to the new regime in Denver.
New Broncos HC Vic Fangio spent one season in Baltimore while Joe Flacco was Ravens’ QB and knows what he will be getting. Former Broncos’ exec Gary Kubiak also was a Flacco fan, and has mentioned how much he liked the soon-to-be Broncos’ quarterback. They were strong selling pts
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 13, 2019
Ironically, Denver is where Flacco completed a 70-yard Hail Mary dubbed “The Mile High Miracle” to help the Ravens to a 38-35 overtime victory over the Broncos in the 2012 AFC Divisional Round, and spark the run to the franchise’s second Super Bowl victory.
The Flacco deal is the first under new Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta.
