APWith both sides in the Joe Flacco contract talks engaged in plenty of negotiation through the media, the sooner the two sides get together, the better off everyone will be.
And while Peter King of SI.com reported earlier today that talks will commence this week, agent Joe Linta tells PFT that nothing is scheduled yet.
Linta says that negotiations likely will get started next week, in conjunction with the Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
This means that the talks will start after the two-week window for applying the franchise tag opens, on February 18. With the Ravens now sending signals that they may not use the exclusive franchise tender on Flacco, we wouldn’t be surprised if they slap the non-exclusive tag early in the process. That would set Flacco’s one-year guaranteed pay at $14.6 million, far less than the exclusive tender of more than $20 million.
In this slowly-unfolding game of chicken, using the non-exclusive franchise tag would expose Flacco to an offer from another team. And while a team like the Browns could choose to extended a frontloaded proposal to Flacco in order to steal him away from Baltimore, Flacco would have to want to leave the Ravens before he would sign an offer with another team.
Ultimately, the Ravens could decide to bank on Flacco not wanting to leave.
It would still be a dangerous escalation by the Ravens. In the end, however, maybe it’s better to save the money and pocket the two first-round picks in lieu of doing a big-money deal that chews up so much cap space that it will be impossible to contend for most of the years of Flacco’s deal.
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Which of the Ramones is that with him?
… And my agent Joey Ramone.
Nice pic of you with the Mrs, Joe.
Didn’t
Didn’t know Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones was Flacco’s agent.
Who is that guy in all these Flacco pics???
I like Flacco and all but if the choice is between spending a sixth of your cap space on him or getting two high first rounders and being able to keep guys like Paul Kruger to have an actual, you know, team, I’mtaking option #2.
Not for one second do I think the Ravens are going to let Flacco go. They’d be fools if they did, and neither Ozzie nor Bisciotti is a fool. And surely Joe understands that while he deserves to be among the best-paid QBs, he still has to give the Ravens room to maneuver within the salary cap. But if he even considers leaving, I’d suggest he talk with Neil O’Donnell. After one (albeit disastrous) Super Bowl appearance, the former Pittsburgh QB thought he was worth so much more than the Steelers were willing to pay, he took the money and ran to New York (good riddance) … where his career started the slow swirl down the toilet. The Ravens need Joe … but that works both ways.
Say … how did Flacco convince the late Al Davis to try on that wig?
That pic is definitely not his agent, Joe Linta. It’s probably his cousin Vinnie from Passaic.
You really need to get more pictures of Flacco. Get it done Oz, he’s elite.
Just stupid. Ger ‘er done. The longer you wait the worse it is. Seriously folks this literally ain’t rocket science.
Hey Florio why do you guys keep using that picture??? Thats not Joe Linta. The real Joe Linta looks like a regular middle aged white male. Its 2013, learn to use Google…
If Joe Flacco somehow goes somewhere else be t season, the world will drown in the tears of Baltimore fans.
I always wondered what Bill Wyman did after quitting the Stones.
Joe was always the stronger, more athletic twin.
Eat your heart out, Tom Brady.
I thought Alice Cooper still wears makeup, what gives here ??
I hope Cleveland steals him away with a $40 M first year offer, that’d be great.
Seriously. Does anyone know who that is? Christ put whoever that is in horror shows. That is one ugly person.
It’s an important time for the league– it may be the historic signing of a 12th ranked QB to a $20 million dollar deal!!!
Flacco’s should be able to pull better looking woman after winning the superbowl one would think. Prediction: Ravens overpay for Flacco, team doesnt make out of 1rst round with Flacco at QB.
Joe delivered and now it’s time for Joe to get paid.
Flacco wanted an agent that was not dull, so he choose to hire a glam band agent.
The Ravens played hardball last season. Flacco is throwing a spitter this year. Good luck, Ravens fans – there will be no home town discount. Flacco didn’t take on the injury risk this year AND win the Super Bowl to leave money on the table. If the Ravens won’t pay him, someone else will. Think Matt Flynn.
Mike: this is Joe Linta.
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/0505/nfl_g_linta_sy_300.jpg
Can you please click that link and use that picture. It’s disturbing to keep seeing that guy who is definitely not him…
That’s Marky Ramone with Flacco at the Tommy Hilfiger fashion show.
Is that what black hair dye will look like on Florio in 25 years?
Which one’s Flacco? It’s hard to tell when they both have unibrows.
Please tell me the guy on the left isn’t his agent…
Peter King nailed it: the Browns should make their move for Flacco, buy him away or make the Ravens spend everything they have left to keep him.
While the likely result seems to be that Flacco stays in Baltimore, there would be something poetic about Flacco counting his money in Cleveland, and standing at podium before the media saying “I had no choice.”
I am really proud Flacco believing in himself inspite of tough criticism, he deserves every penny. Oh and that is Tommy Hilfigure he’s standing next to, they hung out during New York fashion week, pretty cool
You would want a 40 million 20 a year after qb in Cleveland ? Eating up all of that cap space ? You high bro? It’s flacco not drew Bree’s
Nice of pat benetar to take time out of her day to pose in a picture with Bert from sesame street!
To answer the question…That’s Joey Ramone with Flacco taken at Tommy Hilfigers fashion show
It may be time for the Ravens PR office to start considering how to spin two first rounders as more valuable than Flacco.
So it looks like Mick Mars quit Mötley Crüe and is now a sports agent?
Pay the man
What’s he doing with Heidi Fleiss?
That is Smarky Rammone with Joe. Smarky is a life tine achievement award type of punk runk drummer. I am trying not to understand Florio’s reason for continuing to post that pic.
When you talk about Linta you use a picture with Joe and “this guy” as if we are supposed to make the connection it is Linta.
I think I have it figured out. Florio’s team is the Patriots or the Niners. After the Ravens decimated the Patriots we continued to hear about them on this site for a week or more. With the Niners I don’t recall a single negative post. Regardless he’s definitely a Ravens hater.
Did Giselle dye her hair black and leave Tommy Boy for a QB who could actually win a Super Bowl without cheating? Actually that chick is hotter than Giselle. Giselle looks more manly than that chick in the photo with Flaco.
I’m wondering how many posters here saying “pay this guy” or “pay that that guy” were calling these guys “greedy during the lockout. I wonder how many of you cheering for the these players in the Super Bowl were calling them greedy during the lockout? I’m betting the %-age is at least in the high 80′s. Hypocrisy at its finest.
Is that Keith Richards? Joey Ramone? The Grim Reaper? All three??
Hey Florio what toupee you wearing today?
Ok Florio… We get it, you hate the Ravens.
Aren’t you so original?