As NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Monday, impending free agent Joe Flacco is seeking a contract that will exceed Peyton Manning's annual salary of $18 million.
Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome confirmed Tuesday that Flacco will remain with the team next season. The only question is how long it will take before a lucrative long-term deal is reached.
"We'll be able to get that thing done," Newsome said. "But one thing we do know, he'll be playing football for us next year. And sometimes that's all you can look forward to is just next year."
According to CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora, the Ravens plan to use the $14.6 million franchise tag as a means of buying time until the July deadline for long-term contracts. La Canfora seconds Rapoport's sentiment that the durable and relatively young Flacco is more concerned with a high annual salary than upfront guarantees.
It seems that $20 million per year is Flacco's "magic number." If Newsome comes close to hitting that mark, "the happier (Flacco) will be and the more quickly this long-term deal will get done," La Canfora reported.
Elite or not, Flacco is going to be paid commensurate with the most successful playoff quarterbacks.
Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.
