The big NFL news on Friday was all about quarterback Joe Flacco signing a one-year contract with the New York Jets. According to NFL reporter Adam Schefter, the base salary on the contract is $1.5 million with the potential of $4.5 million based on incentives.
If this sounds like a bargain for a veteran starting quarterback with a Super Bowl championship, 171 career starts and an 84.1 career quarterback rating, it’s because it is. Flacco spent 11 seasons going against the Steelers as the starting quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens so both sides know each other well.
This could have been a perfect opportunity for the Pittsburgh Steelers to truly solidify their backup quarterback position and go into the season without the fears of a repeat of 2019.
I won’t go so far as to say this was inexcusable by Pittsburgh because I’m not part of those decisions. But the idea Mason Rudolph inspires more confidence than Flacco as Ben Roethlisberger’s backup is worrisome.
The Steelers have never hesitated to have their two backup quarterbacks be a seasoned veteran and a young developmental player. It’s still a mystery why they have strayed from this formula.
