Report: Ravens QB Joe Flacco Not Expected to Return, Will be 'Coveted' Free Agent in 2019

Rookie Lamar Jackson was named Baltimore's starting quarterback on Wednesday.

Joe Flacco was officially named the Ravens backup QB on Wednesday, and is expected to be released by Baltimore this offseason, according to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. But don't expect the Super Bowl XLVII winner to be on the open market for long. 

Flacco is expected to be a "fairly-coveted free agent", per Rapoport. He is likely to be joined by Nick Foles as former starting QBs on the free-agent market, with Dolphins signal caller Ryan Tannehill potentially joining the free-agent class. 

From @NFLGameDay: Supplanted #Ravens starting QB Joe Flacco is expected to be one of the most talked-about free agents of 2019. For real. pic.twitter.com/5KuHVoDc4f

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 16, 2018

The Delaware product is slated to make $18.5 million in 2019. The Ravens will incur $16 million in dead money on their salary cap if they release Flacco, per Rapoport. 

Flacco is 4–5 as a starter in 2018, throwing for 2,465 yards and 12 touchdowns. He last played in a 23-16 loss to the Steelers on Nov. 4. 

Starting QB Lamar Jackson will look to bring the Ravens their eighth win on Sunday, facing off against the Buccaneers. Kickoff from MT&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md. is slated for 1 p.m. ET.