Detroit Lions: Joe Flacco would be a perfect backup to Matthew Stafford

The Detroit Lions should consider parting ways with the recently signed backup quarterback Chase Daniel in favor of quarterback Joe Flacco.

As the NFL Draft expired Detroit Lions General Manager (GM), Bob Quinn decided to forgo adding a young backup quarterback due to the fact the organization had plenty of other starting roster spots to fill. But why not try and add a reliable backup like Joe Flacco?

The truth is, this was supposed to be an Andy Dalton article, but after he decided to sign with the Dallas Cowboys, I needed to shift gears and Flacco, not as sought-after will still be a reliable backup quarterback.

I’d expect Flacco and his crew are hoping to find a team where he’d be able to compete for a starting job, but that doesn’t seem in the cards anymore for the veteran quarterback. But when you think about it, Flacco should be able to walk into Washington, New England, Indianapolis, or the Los Angeles Chargers and, at the very least compete for the starting job, but much better served as a backup/mentor at this point in his career.

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The Detroit Lions understood they needed a better backup quarterback watching the merry-go-round of arms Detroit was forced to play last season after Matthew Stafford had been shut down due to a lingering back injury. Many of us joke about Joe Flacco’s abilities as a starting quarterback, well I should say, lack thereof, but he’d make for one of the better backup quarterbacks in all of football. And need not forget, Flacco, guided the Baltimore Ravens to a Super Bowl title in 2013, also earning himself a Super Bowl MVP award. His camp also made it known he’d be willing to be a backup somewhere this season.

The Lions signed Chase Daniel to a three-year $13-millon deal this offseason, but why did Quinn rush to settle on Daniel? Sure, he’s an upgrade to the quarterback room, but why the rush to sign Daniel as early as Detroit did? Do you think teams would be lining up to bring in Daniel, and he wouldn’t have been available after the draft? That would be a foolish expectation with all the arms we knew would be available. The Lions are unlikely to move off of Daniel due to his $5-millon dead cap figure this season, furthermore fueling the question of why the rush to sign him?

The New Orleans Saints recently signed Jamies Winston to a one-year deal worth $1.1-millon. Sure, he’s expecting to learn the offense this season behind the great Drew Brees in hopes to cash in next season and win the starting job once Brees heads to the broadcast booth, but what a bargain price for a talent like his this season.

I don’t see Cam Newton as a fit in Detroit, or as a backup anywhere to be completely honest plainly due to his strong personality and ego. Newton, a former league MVP, wants to be a starter, and I don’t see him being a welcoming backup quarterback; he’s all about the flash and stardom not helping a young starting quarterback progress. Joe Flacco, on the other hand, similar to Dalton, could prove to be a valuable, high-end backup quarterback.

The Ravens selected Flacco in the first round with the 18th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft out of Delaware. He’s produced a 98-73-0 career record, tossing for 40,067 yards, 218 touchdowns and 141 interceptions over his twelve-year career. Flacco started just eight games for the Broncos last season before being placed on season-ending injured reserve.

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Flacco, 35-years-old, would fit well in Detroit’s film room, and provide the Lions, a quarterback who could step in and run the offense without a hitch. The series of questions remain, would Detroit consider carrying three quarterbacks? Would Bob Quinn choose to eat the $5-millon to release Daniel a month after signing him?

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