Joe Flacco signs three-year contract extension with Baltimore Ravens
Wednesday 2 March 2016 17:11, UK
The Baltimore Ravens have agreed a three-year contract extension with quarterback Joe Flacco.
Flacco was in the fourth year of a $120.6m six-year contract signed in 2013, but his 2016 cap number of $28.55m was the third-highest figure in the NFL.
Under the terms of his previous deal, the 31-year-old had cap numbers $31.15m in 2017 and $24.75m in 2018.
By extending Flacco, the Ravens can lower those cap numbers over the next three seasons and give the team more money to work with.
According to ESPN, Baltimore had just $2,867,494 in cap space as of Wednesday, which is the second lowest figure in the NFL.
The team placed their franchise tag on kicker Justin Tucker earlier this week at a cost of $4.5m.
The Ravens have talented offensive guard/tackle Kelechi Osemele scheduled to hit free agency later this month and extending Flacco put them in a position to put forward a competitive offer to keep him in Baltimore.
Flacco had his season cut short in 2015, suffering a torn ACL in a Week 11 win against the Rams. He had surgery in December and is expected to be ready for the start of the 2016 season.
