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Broncos trade for Joe Flacco could impact Redskins first-round options at quarterback

By Jacob Camenker

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 16: Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on from the sidelines during the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at M&T Bank Stadium on December 16, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - DECEMBER 16: Quarterback Joe Flacco #5 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on from the sidelines during the first quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at M&T Bank Stadium on December 16, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images) /
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The Denver Broncos have reportedly agreed to trade for Joe Flacco once the new league year starts. This deal opens up the possibility that the Redskins could trade up in the 2019 NFL Draft class if they want a quarterback.

Joe Flacco was this year’s version of Alex Smith. In other words, he was the first domino to fall on the quarterback market, and it came via an early-offseason trade. The Denver Broncos have agreed to acquire the veteran from the Baltimore Ravens for a mid-round pick.

This trade could have a big impact on the quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft. The Broncos were one of the teams expected to draft a first-round quarterback, but now they may not have to. With Flacco on board, the team could take a Day 2 quarterback instead. Or, they could opt to keep Case Keenum on board as a backup if they can rework his contract (though it seems they would more likely part with him). Either way, it’s now no guarantee that the Broncos select a quarterback at No. 10.

On the surface, this would be a good thing for the Redskins’ hopes of landing a first-round quarterback. There are only three teams ahead of them that are definitely in the quarterback market, as the Giants, Jaguars, and Dolphins all need new starters. Since there are four first-round options, the Redskins could have a shot at one with the 15th pick.

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However, the elimination of the Broncos also opens another possibility, one that most Redskins fans won’t like. That’s the chance to trade up for a quarterback. At the moment, there don’t seem to be many (if any) teams considering moving up to grab a quarterback. If there was one, it would have been the Broncos, who were rumored to love Drew Lock. Now, they probably won’t look to select a quarterback, let alone move up for one.

The Redskins are rumored to really like Duke’s Daniel Jones, but they are worried that he could be off the board with the 15th pick, per WalterFootball.com’s Charlie Campbell. If they’re worried that the Giants or Jaguars may consider him, they could leapfrog both teams to ensure they get their guy. that wouldn’t be a popular move, but it remains a possibility, much to the chagrin of many Washington fans.

WalterFootball.com’s Walter Cherepinsky recently included the Redskins trading up for Jones in his mock. He had them acquiring the No. 5 pick from the Buccaneers, and this could emerge as a possibility in the lead-up to the draft.

Obviously, nothing is guaranteed, but the possibility of a trade up can’t be discounted. One would think that the Redskins had learned from the RGIII trade disaster, but maybe they haven’t.

It would probably be a mistake to trade up for a quarterback in a weak quarterback class, but the door is open for the ‘Skins to do so. They may not ultimately do it, and they may not even select a quarterback in the opening frame, but the point is that there now appear to be more options available for the squad.

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Flacco was never coming to Washington but this move could still end up impacting the Redskins. The quarterback market is always volatile, and it will surely be interesting to see what the fallout is following this trade.

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