Joe Flacco to the Buccaneers? No thanks

Joe Flacco in a Tampa Bay Buccaneers uniform next season is not appealing, even though the former Super Bowl winner may hit the market in the offseason.

In a recent NFL.com article from legendary Dallas Cowboys executive, Gil Brandt listed the Buccaneers as a potential landing spot for Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

Now, Brandt’s reasoning for Flacco landing in Tampa Bay makes sense. The Bucs feature a tremendous arsenal of weapons for any quarterback. Ryan Fitzpatrick looked like an All-Pro and Jameis Winston has put up some enormous per game numbers over the past two seasons.

The opportunity for the Bucs to land a quarterback that has proven he can lead a franchise to a championship could entice a new regime.

Here is some of Brandt’s take:

"However, Tampa was never able to find consistency at the position, switching from Fitzpatrick and Jameis Winston while stumbling to a 5-9 record. A lot of this team’s 2018 issues can be pinned on a defense that ranks 28th overall, but I don’t think this organization is happy with the quarterback position right now"

Frankly, there may be a scenario where the Buccaneers move on from Winston this season. However, to choose Flacco over Winston? It seems like a stretch.

Let’s take a look at their numbers since Winston entered the league in 2015.

Winston: 61.3%, 258.3 YPG, 83 TDs, 57 INTs, 7.6 YPA, 86.9 QBR

Flacco 63.9 %, 249.3 YPG, 64 TDs, 46 INTs, 6.3. YPA, 82.7 QBR

Looking at the raw numbers, which quarterback seems like the better option?

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Not sold by just the numbers? Well, Winston is almost a decade younger than Flacco, faces more pressure, and his defense allows a lot more points. Placing Flacco in a situation as bad as Winston’s and there is no telling how ugly it could get for the 33-year-old.

Flacco hasn’t had the team success of late either. The veteran has a sub .500 record since 2015. He hasn’t brought the Ravens to the postseason since 2014. The magic of his 2012 Super Bowl win has faded.

Winston may not be the savior that Buccaneers fans hoped that he was back in 2015, but Flacco isn’t the man to solve the problem.

Plus, Flacco will be making a ton of money. Unless Baltimore releases him and eats $16 million in dead cap, the Bucs will be forced to pay him $18 million. There is a buyout after the 2019 season, but it would make little sense to bring him in for just one season.

Tampa can already do that with Winston. Betting on Winston’s upside and familiarity in with the team is the smarter move.

Asking an aging, mediocre field general to throw on the red and pewter and try to be a stopgap before the next quarterback can enter the fold is silly.

This isn’t like Brad Johnson coming to the Bucs with a dominant defense already in place. Flacco will have to carry the team if they want to contend, something that Flacco has proven that he cannot do.