Baltimore Ravens

Joe Flacco Must Be Involved In Finding New Offensive Coordinator

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:04 p.m. ET

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Dec 4, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of the game against the Miami Dolphins at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Like it or not, Joe Flacco is your franchise quarterback moving forward. The Baltimore Ravens have to pick a guy that works with him:

There should be three requirements of the Baltimore Ravens next offensive coordinator. First, he must mesh with Joe Flacco and utilize a similar scheme to Gary Kubiak. Kubiak was the only offensive coordinator that truly clicked in the John Harbaugh era; the Ravens must replicate that success.

Secondly he must be committed to running the football. The Ravens had two talented running backs practically go to waste this season, and they had an unhealthy balance. Finally, the Ravens should look at a guy who isn’t going to leave town right away. The Ravens have played musical chairs with their coordinators. It’s time for somebody to stick around for a few seasons.

The problem is that offensive coordinators are not easy to find. The good ones are employed or waiting for a head coaching role. Sometimes the ones that are available are looking for work for a reason. The Ravens are either looking at an older coach who isn’t looking for another head coaching job, or a quarterbacks coach on the rise.

Sep 18, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner talks before the game against the Green Bay Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Two Possible Candidates:

Two ideas that I had were Norv Turner and Jim Zorn. Let’s talk about Zorn first since, it’s kind of out of left field. Zorn was the Ravens quarterbacks coach in 2010. I always assumed that he didn’t get along with Cam Cameron, because he seemed to be a match for Flacco. Zorn, after all, was a quarterback with a similar style to Flacco. Zorn is experienced and after the debacle with the Washington Redskins, damaged goods. Flacco and Zorn always felt right. If the two got along, and saw things eye to eye, getting Zorn back into coaching would not be a bad idea.

The other idea is Norv Turner. Turner is 64 years old (one year older than Zorn) and isn’t going to get a head coaching job again. When you look at his body of work, Turner is a certifiable offensive genius. He has worked with Troy Aikman and Phillip Rivers and he’ll know how to work with Flacco.

The catch here is the troubling end to his tenure as the Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator. He resigned from that job this season. Maybe it just was not the right situation for him and maybe it would not end up being a concern for the Ravens. Either way, if the Ravens want Turner they have to dig into this.

Aug 13, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) speaks with head coach John Harbaugh during the first quarter against the New Orleans Saints in a preseason NFL football game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

It Should Be Flacco’s Decision:

Flacco has had Cam Cameron, Jim Caldwell, Gary Kubiak, Marc Trestman and Marty Mornhinweg as his offensive coordinators. Steve Bisciotti needs to throw his franchise quarterback a break and let him pick the next coordinator. That’s what Flacco is, the franchise quarterback. Flacco is going to be hard to replace. He has a lucrative contract going until 2021, and any team willing to take him won’t give us a better quarterback. The Ravens could draft a guy and develop him but  Flacco is the guy for the foreseeable future. Flacco could have a great year next season. He showed flashes this season, and he did come off a brutal injury. Flacco just had a clutch drive against the Steelers; it’s not his fault that Dean Pees employed the prevent defense against Ben Roethlisberger.

The offensive coordinator is always picked by the head coach. This is a situation that calls for an unorthodox process. Harbaugh does many things well. He is a leader of men, he delegates and runs a tight ship, but he cannot pick an offensive coordinator to save his life. Flacco is the one that is going to deal with the ramifications. Flacco is at a point where he just needs to be in the conversation.

Flacco is the franchise quarterback. It is hard to see that changing. If the Ravens want to be successful, they have to help Flacco. The wrong pick at offensive coordinator could side track a promising 2017 team. 2017 is playoffs or bust. If the Ravens miss the playoffs next year that would be four out of five years without the postseason. Baltimore has to get this right.

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