Rehabbing Flacco on contract talk: 'I want to win'
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco is taking a pragmatic approach to the contract negotiations that are likely on the horizon this offseason.
The chickens are coming home to roost, so to speak, on the back-loaded $120 million deal Flacco signed prior to the 2013 season. With an expected cap hit of $28.55 million, Flacco acknowledged in a radio interview with WBAL in Baltimore that he will likely have to rework his contract in order for the Ravens to field a competitive roster.
"Come on, I want to win.
"So I want to do everything we can to get something done. I don’t know exactly what that is, or exactly what that’s going to be, because we haven’t talked about it yet. But I know that is a huge number and it’s not really realistic. … Yes, I’m open to doing something. I mean, I want to be here for a while. I want to play football here. That’s what it’s all about."
Flacco's cap number will rise even higher to $31 million in 2017 if a new deal is not reached. General manager Ozzie Newsome said after the season that he hoped the Ravens could be "strategic enough" in putting together a roster without redoing Flacco's contract.
In the meantime, Flacco will continue to rehab from the torn ACL and PCL he suffered in Week 11. He said he has no idea of a timetable for his return, but he does expect to be ready for the start of the season.
"I feel very good. I’m taking it day-by-day. I don’t want to overdo anything and try to do anything too early and force myself into some type of setback. I’m coming along great. I don’t think there’s any way I’m not going to be out there and ready to go right away."
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