Flacco has gone deaf/mute since the drafting of Lamar Jackson

[Steel Maniac]

Lamar Jackson not being warmly welcomed by Joe Flacco, Ravens already impressed; The Ravens are already gushing over Lamar Jackson
by John Breech


If the NFL wants to put together a dramatic reality show this year, they should skip out on Hard Knocks and just put a camera in the quarterback room of every team in the AFC North.

Not only do we have the ongoing drama in Pittsburgh with Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers, but it appears that Joe Flacco hasn't exactly broken out the welcome wagon for Baltimore's newest quarterback, Lamar Jackson.

Flacco hasn't given an interview since the Ravens selected Jackson, and it's starting to seem like he may not he thrilled with the team's choice. First, there was the draft event last Saturday where he shot down reporters who were trying to get his reaction to the Jackson pick. That was interesting, if only because Flacco almost never passes on an opportunity to talk to the media.

Also, Jackson revealed at the Ravens rookie minicamp on Saturday that he still hasn't heard from Flacco. It's been nine days since he's been drafted, and there hasn't been anything as simple as a text message to welcome him to the team.

The Ravens got their first extended view of Jackson on the practice field Saturday, and it sounds like they came away impressed. If you remember, one of the reasons Jackson fell to the bottom of the first round is because some teams were convinced that he didn't have the accuracy to succeed in a pro-style offense.

Well, it doesn't sound like John Harbaugh is too concerned about that. After watching Jackson throw during practice on Saturday, the Ravens coach sounded excited about his new quarterback.

"The thing I was really impressed with is I thought he was accurate," Harbaugh said, via the team's official website. "You read the reports and stuff like that, but he's a naturally talented thrower. He's got natural arm talent. That's something that I think people were questioning, so to see him out here throwing the ball naturally and very accurately, I thought that was a big plus."

Ravens assistant General Manager Eric DeCosta, who will soon be taking over the GM spot from Ozzie Newsome, explained this week why the team traded up to land Jackson after they initially passed on him at both the 16th and 25th spots in the first round.

"He was a player that some people in this building were tremendously excited about," DeCosta said, via the team's official website. "Lamar just brings a lot of dynamic qualities that we're excited to see."

Those dynamic qualities were on display at Louisville, where Jackson totaled 9,043 career passing yards and 4,132 rushing yards during a career that included two conference player of the year awards and a Heisman.

"You feel like you're watching a special athlete, you're watching a guy who transcends college football with what he can do," DeCosta said. "His dynamic qualities to make plays as a passer, as a runner, taking Louisville and making them a really, really strong football program."

With Jackson now in Baltimore, Flacco probably should be worried. CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora has already said that he doesn't expect Flacco to be with the Ravens much longer. You can listen to La Canfora talk about the team's quarterback situation by clicking the link below.

"Flacco wasn’t going to be back in 2019 even if they waited to the fifth round to draft a quarterback we had never heard of," @JasonLaCanfora said. "But this absolutely cements it."

[Steel Maniac]

Flacco may tank the season. LOL. Get'em Joe. I'm on Flacco's side.

[Slapstick]

I wish Ben had gone mute...

[Ernie]

Flacco's an "Average Joe" lol. I suspect Lamar will push him for the starting job in training camp.

[Steel Maniac]

Flacco's an "Average Joe" lol. I suspect Lamar will push him for the starting job in training camp.

Flacco's clearly out of there next year but I'm enjoying the flux of it all THIS year. It's not going to be smooth by any means. And you can't blame Flacco for the poor job Ozzie was doing the last few years. The talent around Flacco was sub par to say the most.

[Shawn]

Flacco's an "Average Joe" lol. I suspect Lamar will push him for the starting job in training camp. It wouldn't shock me in the slightest to see Jackson as the starter by mid season. Jackson is very much an underrated passer. I personally believe the Ravens got the steal of the draft.

[Buzz]

It wouldn't shock me in the slightest to see Jackson as the starter by mid season. Jackson is very much an underrated passer. I personally believe the Ravens got the steal of the draft.I fear he's gonna be hard for us to defend.

[Shawn]

I fear he's gonna be hard for us to defend. No matter if he is an All Pro or merely an average QB, at the end of the day he will be a planning nightmare for us. I suspect Heyward or Tuitt will try to put a hit on him. He's going to be frustrating.

[Steel Maniac]

No worries about Jackson; I'm loving the discord. Ravens are jocking to be in last place in the division with the Browns making the jump up to second in the division.

[pittpete]

Wow, the BRowns are in 2nd place and they havn't played a game yet...
Who's in first? :D

[Ernie]

IDK about 2nd, but I guess anything's possible. Browns will be much improved this year. I've got em going 7-9 to 8-8 this year.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Who's in first? :D

What's in second.

I Don't Know's in third.

https://www.memorabletv.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Abbott-and-Costello-Whos-on-First-.jpg

[RuthlessBurgher]

"The thing I was really impressed with is I thought he was accurate," Harbaugh said, via the team's official website. "You read the reports and stuff like that, but he's a naturally talented thrower. He's got natural arm talent. That's something that I think people were questioning, so to see him out here throwing the ball naturally and very accurately, I thought that was a big plus."


It sounds all nice and complementary from Harbaugh here, but when you trade multiple picks, including your second round pick next year, to move up into the first round to draft a QB, should the head coach sound like he is pleasantly surprised that his first round QB is somehow reasonably accurate in a practice setting?

[Slapstick]

It sounds all nice and complementary from Harbaugh here, but when you trade multiple picks, including your second round pick next year, to move up into the first round to draft a QB, should the head coach sound like he is pleasantly surprised that his first round QB is somehow reasonably accurate in a practice setting?

Yes, if he had no input in the drafting of said QB...

[Steel Maniac]

It sounds all nice and complementary from Harbaugh here, but when you trade multiple picks, including your second round pick next year, to move up into the first round to draft a QB, should the head coach sound like he is pleasantly surprised that his first round QB is somehow reasonably accurate in a practice setting?

Everybody is accurate in practice. Lol. When the bullets are real, Jackson will be his same old inaccurate self. No worries about him as their future QB. He’ll get hurt and/or bust out by his 32nd game started.

[Northern_Blitz]

It sounds all nice and complementary from Harbaugh here, but when you trade multiple picks, including your second round pick next year, to move up into the first round to draft a QB, should the head coach sound like he is pleasantly surprised that his first round QB is somehow reasonably accurate in a practice setting?

This isn't about him being surprised that the pick looks good in practice.

It's about a coach openly going to bat for a guy the team just hitched their wagon to. It's about going into the bunker with the team and saying who cares what they say out there, in here we believe in our guys.

I think it's a move to motivate and build confidence in the guy they want to be the leader of their team. That's smart coaching IMO.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I just think that a head coach saying "to see him out here throwing the ball naturally and very accurately, I thought that was a big plus" sounded odd.

Throwing the ball accurately in practice shouldn't be "a big plus" especially for a first round draft pick.

I think that throwing the ball accurately in practice should be the bare minimum requirement fror any QB...it should be completely expected even if you are talking about some long-shot undrafted rookie QB intended to be little more than a camp arm.

[feltdizz]

I think it's the off season and the typical click bait article.

[Steel Maniac]

I just think that a head coach saying "to see him out here throwing the ball naturally and very accurately, I thought that was a big plus" sounded odd.

Throwing the ball accurately in practice shouldn't be "a big plus" especially for a first round draft pick.

I think that throwing the ball accurately in practice should be the bare minimum requirement fror any QB...it should be completely expected even if you are talking about some long-shot undrafted rookie QB intended to be little more than a camp arm.

Exactly...................

[Buzz]

I just think that a head coach saying "to see him out here throwing the ball naturally and very accurately, I thought that was a big plus" sounded odd.

Throwing the ball accurately in practice shouldn't be "a big plus" especially for a first round draft pick.

I think that throwing the ball accurately in practice should be the bare minimum requirement fror any QB...it should be completely expected even if you are talking about some long-shot undrafted rookie QB intended to be little more than a camp arm.

You're right, it should be.

I think Hairbag said what he did in response to the folks who were saying that Jackson isn't an accurate thrower, and at the same time, as Blitz said, to communicate to his team that he believes in his rookie's passing abilities.

[Eich]

I think Hairball's comments are less about complimenting Jackson and more about lighting a fire under Flacco's backside. Competition brings out the best in athletes.

[feltdizz]

I think the Ravens regret paying Flacco a ton of money. He has been trash since he signed that big contract. Also, I heard Flacco was lazy and doesn’t work on his game like Ben used to do when he first got here and had early success.

Ben eventually realized things were going south in the locker room and changed his ways.

I dont think Flacco has ever made a change and win Ozzie leaving this is his last move on the chess board.

[Steel Maniac]

I think Hairball's comments are less about complimenting Jackson and more about lighting a fire under Flacco's backside. Competition brings out the best in athletes.

Competition? The job belongs to Jackson next year. There is no more competition. All there is , is a lamb duck QB in Flacco. And he knows it.

Just like Smith knew he was a lamb duck QB last year with the drafting of Mahommes.

[Eich]

Competition? The job belongs to Jackson next year. There is no more competition. All there is , is a lamb duck QB in Flacco. And he knows it.

Just like Smith knew he was a lamb duck QB last year with the drafting of Mahommes.

Next year, probably.

They still have a this year to play. I don't think they want to just throw in the towel this year.

[Steel Maniac]

They probably don’t but Flacco May have other thoughts on that!!!

[Eich]

They probably don’t but Flacco May have other thoughts on that!!!

He's only 33 years old. If he wants another starting QB contract, he's going to have to show something.

[feltdizz]

He's only 33 years old. If he wants another starting QB contract, he's going to have to show something.

Only? That's not young for a QB who isn't playing good football. He will still get picked up by some terrible team but I think it may be over.

Dude sounds like a guy who played the odds and won and doesn't really care anymore.

[Steel Maniac]

He's only 33 years old. If he wants another starting QB contract, he's going to have to show something.

He didn't have much to begin with. LOL. He was always a bum; even at his highest point. One of the most overrated QB's in NFL history.

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

He didn't have much to begin with. LOL. He was always a bum; even at his highest point. One of the most overrated QB's in NFL history.

Good enough to cause us pain over many years, beat NE** in the playoffs, and to be a SB-winning QB (MVP?).

[Steel Maniac]

Good enough to cause us pain over many years, beat NE** in the playoffs, and to be a SB-winning QB (MVP?).

Trent Dilfer won too with a monster Ravens defense. Ravens had that defense to keep them around against us and the Pats and Flacco game managed. And they got really effective against us when they started that illegal chop blocking of our D-lineman that the league allowed for a long time.

Flacco at best was a game manager. And by and large, we've made Flacco our chew toy for a lot of his career. I wish he'd be their QB for another decade. All the timely picks he's thrown us in key games. Only Dalton has been made more of our women then Flacco.

And because he was at the right place, right time when he won that Super Bowl, he got grossly overpaid as the highest paid game manager ever! I cheered when the Raven stupidly ponied up all that money to him. Because I knew we'd never see him (them ) again. And I was spot on.

You only pay franchise QB money to a franchise QB. Those are QB's that can carry the offense by themselves.

[Steel Maniac]

I"m on Joe's side. Keep Flacco forever!!!!!!!!!!

[RuthlessBurgher]

Only Dalton has been made more of our women then Flacco
.

My head hurts after trying to decipher this absolute gem of a sentence.

[Steel Maniac]

My head hurts after trying to decipher this absolute gem of a sentence.

Hahahahahaha...it's just as I said!!

[SanAntonioSteelerFan]

My head hurts after trying to decipher this absolute gem of a sentence.


THanks for the heads up, I stopped trying after just a few times, to avoid that same headache!

[Steel Maniac]

Hey, Let me make it more plain in that,.... we punk Flacco a lot. If you want more PC, then you’ve got the wrong guy. Lol