Still without a veteran to back up starting quarterback Joe Flacco, the Ravens will be unable to call upon Marc Bulger, who intends to retire after 11 seasons in the NFL.
The 34-year-old signal caller was the Ravens’ backup quarterback in 2010 after signing a one-year, $3.8 million contract, which paid him a higher base salary than Flacco. However, Bulger did not take a snap all season as Flacco started all 16 games.
The Ravens currently have sixth-round pick Tyrod Taylor and practice squad member Hunter Cantwell as the only quarterbacks on the roster behind Flacco. Despite a strong endorsement from offensive coordinator Cam Cameron on Tuesday and the fact that Flacco has never missed a game in his three-year career, it’s unlikely the Ravens would feel comfortable with the listed 6-foot-1 Taylor as the backup quarterback.
Bulger’s best years came with the St. Louis Rams, where he began as the No. 2 quarterback behind Kurt Warner and eventually became a two-time Pro Bowler. He finishes his career with 122 touchdown passes, 93 interceptions, and an 84.4 quarterback rating.
With Bulger no longer an option as the backup quarterback, general manager Ozzie Newsome must now deal with an underwhelming quarterback market that includes Jake Delhomme, Brodie Croyle, Patrick Ramsey, J.P. Losman, and Chris Simms. Former backup Troy Smith, who wound up in San Francisco after being cut prior to last season, is also a free agent.
As NFL teams must be under the salary cap for the start of the new league year on Thursday, other veteran backups could be added to the list of potential insurance policies for Flacco.
