It’s possible QB Lamar Jackson has played his final down in Baltimore. Trade rumors and an uncertain future have swirled around him for months. About the only thing clear is the Ravens will place the franchise tag on him. Where it goes from there is anyone’s guess.
But ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Jamison Hensley, the latter a Ravens’ beat writer, wrote a great explainer of the situation Thursday morning, writing about the impasse and frustration from both sides.
With negotiations that have stalled out, they write there’s an increasing chance Jackson is traded during the 2023 offseason.
“If there is no compromise, the possibility of the Ravens trading Jackson, who in 2019 joined Tom Brady as the only unanimous MVPs in NFL history, has never been more likely.”
Reportedly, Jackson – who does not have an agent – wants a fully guaranteed contract similar to what Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson received after being traded from Houston last season. The Ravens don’t want to follow that precedent but ESPN reports each of Jackson’s counteroffers have been fully guaranteed and more than the $230 million Watson agreed to.
For the second straight year, Jackson couldn’t finish the season with the team. This year, he suffered a PCL injury in Week 13 and though it was initially believed to be an injury he’d return from, Jackson never suited back up for the Ravens. Instead, Tyler Huntley once again became the team’s starter but the offense looked miserable without Jackson and Baltimore limped into the playoffs, quickly eliminated by the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round.
During his rehab, Jackson isolated himself from the rest of the team with ESPN reporting he only traveled to one game after getting hurt, going to Pittsburgh one week after suffering the injury. He did not go with the team for the playoff game at Cincinnati. Some inside the Ravens’ organization wonder if a lack of a contract played a role in his decision not to play, though GM Eric DeCosta recognized Jackson was dealing with a real injury that impacted the confidence he had in his knee.
Baltimore will tag him but even their decision there is critical. The team could apply the exclusive or non-exclusive franchise tag. If it’s the latter, other teams will have the opportunity to offer him a contract. Should any team do so, the Ravens could match the offer and retain Jackson. Or they could decline to match, allow Jackson to go to another team, and receive two first-round picks as compensation. At the least, using the non-exclusive tag is a way for other teams to set Jackson’s market and see if he could get a fully guaranteed deal somewhere else.
The Ravens have until March 7th to place the tag on him. They will and it’ll be the first step in determining whether or not Jackson has a future in Baltimore.
Again, check out the entire feature piece. It’s well worth your time.
