NFL Rumors: Joe Flacco To Broncos? Denver, Baltimore Agree On Trade?

One of the major NFL offseason dominoes has fallen. After months of speculation as to what the Baltimore Ravens would do with former Super Bowl MVP quarterback Joe Flacco this offseason, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Wednesday that the team has agreed to trade him to the Denver Broncos.

Schefter’s report did not initially say what the Broncos gave up for the 34-year-old. There had been plenty of speculation that a trade would happen before the NFL Draft.

Las Vegas oddsmakers had the Broncos as betting favorites to land Flacco in January.

At 6-foot-6 with a strong arm and ample postseason experience, Flacco fits the mold of what Broncos general manager John Elway wants in a quarterback. New head coach Vic Fangio also worked with Flacco in Baltimore, as did former Broncos head coach and executive Gary Kubiak. Those connections worked in Flacco’s favor, according to Schefter.

Flacco delivered one of the most devastating passes in Ravens playoff history on the way to his only Super Bowl win in 2012. He has struggled since then, with only one season of a passer rating over 90 in the past six years. In 2018, the veteran was benched in favor of rookie Lamar Jackson during the Ravens’ playoff push.

The move probably takes the Broncos out of the running for a top quarterback in the NFL Draft.

Some rumors had linked the Broncos to Missouri quarterback Drew Lock with the No. 10 overall pick.

The deal also continues the trend of the Broncos bringing in other teams’ castoffs to run their offense. Since Elway retired in 1999, Denver has had trouble drafting and developing its own quarterbacks. First-round picks Jay Cutler, Tim Tebow and Paxton Lynch all flamed out, while the team found more success in veterans like Jake Plummer and Peyton Manning.

The Broncos have missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons.