Now that the Baltimore Ravens have inked Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice to a $40 million contract, the next priority for the organization is locking up quarterback Joe Flacco to a long-term deal.

Flacco is maintaining his focus on the upcoming season, though, not his unresolved contract status as he heads into the final year of his rookie contract, according to his agent.

"Joe is very, very excited for the season," agent Joe Linta told the Times in a telephone interview. "He's really adamant about getting the Ravens to the next step. The contract at this point is secondary to that goal. Joe has the attitude that he'll earn it."

Aaron Wilson of Ravens Insider on QB Joe Flacco's contract talks: "No movement afoot on Joe Flacco talks. Lack of cap space, gap in contract talks are major obstacles to getting it done."

As we get closer and closer to the start of training camp, it appears more and more likely that the Ravens will allow starting quarterback Joe Flacco to play out the final year of his rookie contract during the 2012 season.

It isn’t often that a young quarterback the caliber of Flacco, 27 and a four-year starter in the NFL, is allowed to become an unrestricted free agent (the Ravens still have the franchise tag as an ace in the hole next spring).

If a long-term deal does not get done before the start of the season, Flacco should be plenty motivated in 2012.

Contract talks between the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Joe Flacco have continued and have been amicable, but the sides are not close to a deal and it's unlikely they bridge the gap quickly.

Both sides very much want to work out a long-term deal, but the timing has to be right. Flacco is participating in offseason work and has no plans to hold out, sources said. So playing out his final season under contract is the mostly likely outcome for 2012.

Flacco stands to make $6.76 million next season in base salary along with a $2.1 million roster bonus.

Tyrod Taylor is Joe Flacco’s backup.

The signing of Curtis Painter hasn’t changed that.

“Tyrod is our No. 2 quarterback; I want to make that very clear,” Harbaugh told WBAL radio yesterday.

“Everybody competes for their job, there’s no doubt about it, we believe in that, we always will, but he’s our No. 2 quarterback. He’s entrenched as our No. 2 quarterback.”

Harbaugh said that Painter is currently the No. 3 quarterback, and that the team may opt to continue to have a third arm on the roster throughout the season, whether that position is given to Painter or someone else. The Ravens’ head coach is also leaving the door open to bringing in a fourth signal caller during training camp.

Ravens not close to a deal with either QB Joe Flacco or RB Ray Rice. Rice has no plans to report without a new deal. Nothing has changed.

While we fully expect the team to sign its QB and star RB, these are certainly situations worth monitoring.

At a time when the Ravens have signed cornerback Lardarius Webb to a long-term deal and, according to G.M. Ozzie Newsome, are possibly heading in that direction with running back Ray Rice, a source with knowledge of the situation tells PFT that no progress is being made between the Ravens and quarterback Joe Flacco.

Earlier this week, G.M. Ozzie Newsome said that the team is making progress with Rice, whose rookie contract has expired and who has not signed the franchise tender. Newsome also said that talks are ongoing with Flacco, but we’re told those talks are going nowhere.

Flacco has one year left on his rookie deal. “[I]t either gets done or it doesn’t,” Flacco recently said. “And I’m not really too involved in the process besides letting him know how I feel and letting him take care of that and letting the Baltimore Ravens take care of their side. And that’s really my involvement. It’s not about the money, it’s about what you as a player feel that you deserve. And at the end of the day, they’ll take care of it and I’ll be waiting.”

Flacco's insistence that it's "not about the money" might be one of the least genuine things a free agent has said all offseason. The reason a deal isn't done is because the two sides can't agree on Flacco's value. Therefore, it is all about the money.

Ravens QB Joe Flacco isn't going to the Super Bowl, but the Ravens quarterback did enough to prove he can take a team there.

"Obviously, he played well enough to win this game. I think his best football is in front of him," Harbaugh said. "He's only getting better. He's our kind of guy. He's a tough guy, a competitive guy. He's a leader, and I just can't wait to see where this thing goes with him. The plays that he made down the stretch, I think it says a lot about him and his future."

Asked whether he would like an extension, Flacco told Baltimore reporters on Monday: "Definitely. We’ll see how it goes. If it goes, it goes. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Lee Evans is wearing a walking boot only as a precaution. The team expects him back on the field soon.

Evans and Joe Flacco were clicking Thursday night, and this is good news for a player who could rebound from a sub-par 2010 season. You could do worse for a draft day flyer at receiver.

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Lee Evans isn't practicing today. His left foot is in a protective boot but Evans doesn't seem to be limping terribly.

Evans had a good rapport on Thursday night with Joe Flacco. Right now, it doesn't appear as though Evans should be downgraded on draft boards due to this, but it is something to monitor.