O’Halloran: Broncos trading for Joe Flacco will be a boon behind the scenes — and bring a sigh of relief for Vic Fangio By Ryan O’Halloran The Denver Post February 14, 2019 Ten thoughts for new Broncos quarterback Joe Flacco and his 10 career postseason wins: 1. I was guilty of overthinking the Broncos’ plans. I thought Option A might be keeping Case Keenum to begin the season but then giving the 10th overall pick (or higher) a chance to play with an eye toward 2020. Uh, not quite. The Broncos went the Conventional Route. They targeted a veteran quarterback and traded for him. Neat and simple. They also went the Old-School Route. In a developing era of mobile quarterbacks, the Broncos acquired themselves a gunslinger. 2. Flacco was 4-3 all-time against the Broncos (nine touchdowns, five interceptions). At Mile High, he won 38-35 in January 2013 (playoffs), lost 49-27 in the 2013 season opener and lost 19-13 in the 2015 season opener. The playoff win was memorable. Flacco threw a 70-yard touchdown pass with 31 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. The Ravens finished that season by beating San Francisco in the Super Bowl. 3. Flacco is 34 years old. He has never been to the Pro Bowl. He lost his job to a rookie last year. But for a fourth-round pick, he is worth the risk … and, really, it’s not a risk. What stands out about him is completion percentage (64.9 and 64.1 his last two full years), his durability (played all 16 games in nine of his 10 years) and his playoff form (10 wins). 4. Flacco should be good for the Broncos behind the scenes. This is a team that will have a first-time head coach (Vic Fangio), play-caller (Rich Scangarello) and quarterbacks coach (T.C. McCartney), second-year players in receivers Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton and running backs Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman and a to-be-determined offensive line. Flacco’s input with the game plan from Tuesday-Saturday and his leadership ability off the field will be critical. 5. Flacco has never been the most mobile quarterback (345 rushes for 811 yards) but knows how to slide around the pocket to create time. But his style of play — drop back, stand tall, survey the field — makes rebuilding the offensive line even more important than it was pre-trade. Mike Munchak is the new offensive line coach and the Broncos should trust him to suggest at least three linemen to draft in the opening five rounds. 6. Trading for Flacco opens up the Broncos to do anything they want with the 10th pick. They could trade down with Miami at No. 13 or Washington at No. 15 (both of whom could want a quarterback), picking up extra picks and still getting the player they want. They could stay put and draft a cornerback (Byron Murphy, Greedy Williams or Deandre Baker) or a top available offensive tackle (Jawaan Taylor, Cody Ford or Greg Little). 7. Case Keenum is no longer in the Broncos’ plans. If a team looking for a backup quarterback/mentor, they could offer a late Day 3 pick for Keenum on the condition he re-structures his contract, adding a year or two in exchange for significantly lowering his $21 million cap hit. Keenum had a chance to prove he can be a 16-game starter; now his goal should be to show he can be a No. 2 for the next 6-7 years. 8. What about the Broncos’ backup quarterback situation? Kevin Hogan remains on the roster. They will have an estimated $28.5 million committed to the position so that should rule out a veteran backup. But maybe the second round? It’s something the Broncos should consider. Even if Elway and Co. feel the 2020 class will be stacked with Tua Tagovailoa, Justin Herbert, Jake Fromm, Jacob Eason, etc., the Broncos may not be in a position to even trade up for them. 9. Acquiring Flacco should be a big sigh for Fangio. The last thing he should have wanted in training camp is a quarterback competition, like deciding if Keenum is better than The Drafted Quarterback. Now he can start the offseason program in April knowing Flacco is his trigger man, allowing him to focus on other things. 10. Among the coaches and executives I reached out to Wednesday, the views on Flacco went both ways. One thought Flacco had a “couple years,” of effective football left. Another thought the trade was a “good move for both teams.” But a defensive assistant said Flacco has “very little” left in the tank. Joe Flacco trade: Broncos to acquire Baltimore QB, source says By Ryan O’Halloran The Denver Post February 14, 2019 Determining that acquiring a veteran quarterback instead using a top-10 draft pick on a passer is the quickest way back to AFC West contention, Broncos general manager John Elway made the first bold move of the NFL offseason Wednesday. In a trade that won’t be completed until March 13, the Broncos have agreed to send one of their two 2019 fourth-round picks to the Baltimore Ravens for quarterback Joe Flacco, a source confirmed. A month before free agency opens, the Broncos addressed the game’s most important position with a player proven in the regular season and playoffs. Although the trade is not official, a league official said the Broncos are able to meet with Flacco (with the Ravens’ permission) to have a physical exam and discuss his contract. Flacco, 34, will replace Case Keenum, who lasted one season. Elway met with Keenum to inform him of the trade and the potential course of action. Keenum is likely to be traded or cut, forcing the Broncos to absorb a $10 million dead salary cap hit. According to the industry website Over The Cap, Flacco is due to make a base salary of $18.5 million this year, and a source said the Broncos do not plan to re-structure the deal that runs through 2021 (base salaries of $20.25 million in 2020 and $24.25 million in 2021). None are guaranteed. Flacco, who had 12 touchdowns and six interceptions in nine games (4-5 record) last year, will team with new coach Vic Fangio, offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello and quarterback coach T.C. McCartney to improve a Broncos’ attack that has been impotent for four years. Fangio was a Ravens defensive assistant during Flacco’s first two pro seasons. A source said the Broncos’ coaching staff and personnel department met together to watch game video of quarterbacks and the group decision was to pursue Flacco. Flacco became available when he sustained a hip injury in the Ravens’ ninth game last year and did not re-claim his job once he was healthy. Baltimore is committed to quarterback Lamar Jackson. How much does Flacco have left? “A couple years,” an NFL executive told The Denver Post. “I think he will be a good fit for the Broncos.” A source said the Broncos and Ravens completed the trade quickly. The Broncos’ urgency to get a trade done was likely because they felt another team was pursuing Flacco. “Within the last two days,” the source said of when trade talks began. “Seems like a good move for both teams.” It is a good move for the Ravens, who were able to get a draft pick for Flacco before they released him. And it appears to be a good move for the Broncos, who will not be boxed into a corner when they draft at No. 10 overall in April. They have their quarterback. A source said the Broncos believe Flacco is “absolutely a perfect fit for Rich’s offense. Better than (Nick) Foles. Better than the young kids in the draft.” Two hallmarks of Scangarello’s scheme could be a quarterback comfortable under center (which sets up play-action) and is able and willing to push the football down the field. “I see an offense that’s willing to take shots,” Scangarello said last month. “(An offense) that’s aggressive but detailed in every way. That takes care of the football, that empowers its players to be the best they can be by putting them in position to be successful.” Keenum threw 15 interceptions last year (18 touchdowns). In retrospect, Keenum’s fate was sealed last month when Elway told NBC Sports that Keenum is “probably a short-term fix.” Flacco has 212 career touchdowns and 136 interceptions. Although he has never been selected to the Pro Bowl, he has six years of at least 20 touchdowns and five years of at least 10 wins. Flacco is 96-67 in the regular season and 10-5 in the postseason. Only New England’s Tom Brady (30) and Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger (13) have more playoff wins among active quarterbacks. From 2010-14, Flacco was 7-3 in the postseason and his 104.1 passer rating was highest among quarterbacks with at least 200 attempts. Last month, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Flacco’s “value is high. I’m not just saying that. I believe that. Joe can throw the football. … Joe’s ready to roll. You protect Joe, give him some weapons, you’re going to see one of the best quarterbacks in the league.” The word “rebuilding” is an expletive around the Broncos despite their streak of three consecutive years of missing the playoffs. They could have become creative around the draft to move up and start a rebuild with a rookie quarterback.