The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ... Flacco's cap number currently is $28.55 million, which ranks behind only Drew Brees' $30 million and Ndamukong Suh's $28.6 million this year. HC John Harbaugh expressed confidence on Thursday that a new agreement will be reached. "He knows that he's in it for the long haul and he wants to put the best team we can on the field," Harbaugh said. "He also wants to earn what he's worth, and whatever he signs for, he's going to want to prove that he's worth it, too. That's just how Joe thinks. I'm pretty fired up about it. I'll be really surprised and disappointed if it doesn't get done."
Diehards Line:
When Flacco briefly became the highest-paid player in NFL history after leading Baltimore to a Super Bowl XLVII victory, the Ravens understood the deal was back-loaded against the salary cap to force a renegotiation in 2016. To that end, Ravens senior vice president of administration Pat Moriarty was expected to meet with Flacco's agent at the NFL Scouting Combine this week to discuss a new contract. Although general manager Ozzie Newsome has insisted that the Ravens can remain competitive without restructuring Flacco's contract, a new deal could reduce the quarterback's cap number by as much as $9 million. That's crucial for a team with the league's second-smallest cap space and several needs to fill. To do so without a Flacco restructure will likely comprise the roster in other areas.