Lamar Jackson showed this week that he is willing to throw away a rather large sum of money to avoid taking part in voluntary practices with his Baltimore Ravens teammates.
After months of negotiations, setbacks, and threats of demanding a trade, the Ravens and superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson came to terms on a massive long-term extension that will keep him in Baltimore for the better part of the decade. In return, the three-time Pro Bowler rewarded them by winning the 2023 NFL MVP award.
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Proving he is still among the elite players in the league also gives him a good amount of leverage. That is why to the surprise of no one Jackson will not be attending the team’s voluntary organized team activities this week. Star players and veterans passing on these camps is a tradition in its own right and well within the guidelines of the NFL collective bargaining agreement.
- Lamar Jackson contract: Five years, $260 million
However, what makes it somewhat hilarious is that for months Jackson haggled over getting as much money as possible from the Ravens in a new contract but will lose a nice chunk of change by not partaking in Baltimore’s OTAs.
On Saturday, Pro Football Talk reported that Jackson has annual offseason workout bonuses worth $750,000. However, he must take part in 80% of those workouts, and that does not include mandatory minicamp. By passing on this week’s activities, that player who fought so hard to get every dollar he felt he deserved is tossing close to a million dollars down the toilet to avoid cutting 10 days out of his summer vacation.
Lamar Jackson will make over $32 million this upcoming season so $750,000 is small change for him, but it surely doesn’t look like that for the regular folks rooting for the team each week who may not earn that much from a lifetime of work.
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