Ravens' Newsome: GMs not sleeping looking for a Joe Flacco
Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome made quarterback Joe Flacco an even richer man on Wednesday, signing him to a three-year contract extension worth a reported $66.4 million.
Flacco is now the highest-paid player in the league, averaging just over $22.1 million per year under his new deal, eclipsing the contract of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Newsome, however, has no regrets about giving the 31-year-old such a lucrative contract, as Flacco has brought stability to what was previously a volatile position in Baltimore.
"I just spent about five days (at the NFL Scouting Combine) with GMs that are looking for a Joe Flacco, and they’re not sleeping at night," Newsome said, according to Ryan Mink of the Ravens' official website. "And we did that. No one can appreciate a good quarterback (as much as) Ozzie Newsome can after going through what we went through.
"I learned a lot of lessons along the way of what a good quarterback really is."
Newsome cited multiple examples of teams signing less-heralded QBs to new deals recently as evidence of the league's desperation for competent quarterback play.
“Philly signing (Sam) Bradford and Washington having to put the franchise tag on (Kirk) Cousins (are examples)," he said. "They don’t have the resume that Joe has, and for us to be moving forward with a guy that has eight years and won a Super Bowl and been in three AFC championship games, it speaks volumes."
Bradford signed a two-year deal that will reportedly pay him $18 million per season, despite the fact he's yet to make the playoffs and has failed to throw more than 21 touchdowns in a season during his six years in the NFL.
Cousins was rewarded for a career year in 2015 with the franchise tag, which will pay him $19.95 million next season, unless a long-term deal can be agreed upon.
While Flacco doesn't boast the most impressive statistics, he's proven to be a consistent and durable player, with the torn ACL he suffered in Week 11 causing him to miss the first games of his career.