Even with the NFL Combine underway, the Lamar Jackson contract saga continues to be the talk of the town. Fortunately, this time around, league insiders are giving positive updates on a potential deal for Baltimore’s franchise quarterback. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, General Manager Eric DeCosta and Lamar Jackson recently met and there was “optimism” that the two sides could agree to a deal.
From @NFLTotalAccess: There was optimism about the Lamar Jackson contract, but so much is still up in the air for the #Ravens. pic.twitter.com/XCOEt43BDH
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 2, 2023
Lamar Jackson Contract Update: “Optimism” Between Ravens, Quarterback
While on the air, Rapoport noted that DeCosta said that Jackson was “his guy” and the ideal option for the 2023 iteration of the Baltimore Ravens. The NFL insider went on to say that the Ravens still want to “sign Lamar Jackson to a big-time, long-term deal that locks him in as the franchise guy going forward”.
However, with that being said, it’s worth noting that a deal is still a long way away. Rapoport noted that “it does not seem like much has changed” in terms of the actual negotiations. That isn’t a great thing, as the two sides are reportedly off by quite a bit of money. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone, but Rapoport also added that if the two sides cannot reach a long-term deal before the start of free agency, the Ravens will use the franchise tag to keep the quarterback in Baltimore for at least one more season.
A Trade Is Still on the Table
While it sounds like the Ravens prefer to have Jackson around for the long haul, Rapoport pointed out that Baltimore could still decide to trade the former unanimous MVP. Perhaps the most interesting part of Rapoport’s report came when he said that there is a chance that the Ravens use the non-exclusive franchise tag.
For those unfamiliar with the rules, there are two versions of the franchise tag: exclusive and non-exclusive. As the names imply, the exclusive tag is more expensive, but it prevents the tagged player from negotiating with other teams. The non-exclusive tag, however, would allow Jackson to meet with other teams, and if another team made an offer that the Ravens couldn’t match, Baltimore would receive two first-round picks for his services.
Normally, two first-round picks is a lot to give up for any one player, especially when you’re also handing out a massive contract. However, this is Lamar Jackson we’re talking about. Quarterback is the most important position in the game, and when Jackson’s healthy and at his best, he’s one of the best in the league.
At this point last year, the Cleveland Browns decided to give up three first-round picks for Deshaun Watson, a quarterback that hadn’t played in over a year and was battling a nearly-unprecedented number of civil cases. While everyone agrees that Cleveland dramatically overpaid for Watson’s services, the fact remains that if Watson can go for three firsts, then Jackson should also be able to fetch a similar return from a team like the Atlanta Falcons.
Put simply, if the Ravens use the non-exclusive tag on Lamar Jackson, then he’ll probably be gone. The Falcons (or a team in a similar situation) would be all too happy to give up two first-round picks for a franchise quarterback, and they could probably write up a contract that the Ravens do not want to match.
Main Photo: Mitch Stringer – USA Today Sports
