27. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
Whenever a team spends a first round pick on a quarterback it serves as a clear sign that the team isn’t completely satisfied with their current starter. Lamar Jackson’s arrival in Baltimore has correctly put Joe Flacco on notice.
It was a wise move by the Ravens’ front office. Flacco wasn’t very good last season. His arm strength is disappearing right before our very eyes. He only managed to average a paltry 5.7 yards per completion last season. That puts him well below the NFL average.
It’s not as if avoiding deep throws helped Flacco protect the football either. He still threw 13 picks against just 18 touchdowns. He was a big reason that Baltimore’s offense failed to hold up their end of the bargain in 2017.
The chances of Flacco achieving any sort of comeback this season are pretty small. He’s already 33 years of age so he’s due for a healthy amount of age-related regression. Mobility use to be one of Flacco’s strengths, but now he’s struggling to escape trouble in the pocket. His steady decline is very likely to continue this season.
In short, you should ignore all of the positive comments emanating from Baltimore’s preseason practices. Flacco isn’t going to experience a magical rebirth in 2018. Ravens fans need to come to grips with the reality that Flacco simply isn’t a good NFL starter any longer. It’s very likely Jackson is going to get his chance to lead the Baltimore offense before the year is over.