Is Flacco truly an upgrade over Keenum at QB for the Broncos?
Feb 19, 2019, 5:45 PM | Updated: 11:27 pm
Since the deal in principle was made by the Denver Broncos to acquire him from the Baltimore Ravens last week, Joe Flacco has been heralded by some as an upgrade over current starting quarterback — for now — Case Keenum.
Others, however, have failed to see when Flacco sets himself apart from Keenum.
On Tuesday, “Stokley and Zach” co-host Brandon Stokley called the move “low risk, high reward,” especially since the Broncos didn’t “give up a whole lot” for Flacco (reportedly a fourth-round pick) and he has nothing guaranteed on his contract.
“He’s an upgrade over Case Keenum. He gives you flexibility in the draft. So, to me, it’s hard to find a real negative about this trade for the Denver Broncos,” Stokley said.
However, 104.3 The Fan’s Sandy Clough challenge Stokley and the rest of The Fan War Room panel assembled Tuesday afternoon to give “any form of evidence, statistical or otherwise, that suggests Joe Flacco is a better quarterback than Case Keenum.”
“The best thing I’ve heard said about this trade is … well, I don’t hate it. Really? That’s what we’re reduced to now? Looking at a trade and saying, wow, I don’t hate this trade?” Clough said.
Flacco, during his career, does edge Keenum in most statistical passing categories, but only by slim margins. Per ProFootballReference.com, Flacco leads in touchdown percentage (3.7 to 3.5) and passing yards per game (234.6 to 222.1) while trailing Keenum in interception percentage (2.3 to 2.4) and career passer rating (84.5 to 84.1).
Whatever the margin of the upgrade, however, “The Drive” co-host DMac said during The Fan War Room that the only reason Flacco vs. Keenum is a conversation is because the Broncos failed to draft a quarterback of the future in the 2018 NFL Draft.
“When you are in desperation mode because you didn’t do the right thing and you have to make up for things over and over and over again, you have Joe Flacco. And that’s where we’re at,” DMac said. “So, we don’t have an $18 million quarterback; we have a $25 million quarterback who is, at best, marginally better than the quarterback we have …
“And it goes back to a failed identity with the organization and direction, and when you had a chance to draft a quarterback, you blew it.”
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.
