Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson revealed in March that he requested a trade. A month later, the NFL star is reportedly discussing big plans with Odell Beckham Jr. that could only happen in a Ravens’ uniform.
Jackson and the Ravens have been at a stalemate in contract negotiations for months. The former NFL MVP was unhappy with the offers Baltimore made, leading to his trade request. While the Ravens’ front office reportedly wasn’t fully committed to Jackson long-term, they still had an interest in attempting to re-sign him.
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- Lamar Jackson stats (career): 45-16 record, 101-38 TD-INT, 96.7 passer rating, 7.4 ypa, 4,437 rushing yards, 24 rushing touchdowns, 267 rushing first downs
While there are still no signs of the two sides moving towards a resolution, the Ravens’ signing of Beckham Jr. was believed to be motivated by a desire to make Jackson happy. Baltimore offered the veteran wide receiver more than the New York Jets, signing him to a one-year deal with a $13.835 million signing bonus that New York wouldn’t match.
Not only was the addition partially motivated by the team’s desire to prove itself to Jackson, the 26-year-old quarterback reportedly played a role in the signing. Jackson spoke to Beckham Jr. before the deal went through, even capturing the moment on Instagram.
Not only that, per Jordan Schultz of The Score, Jackson and Beckham Jr. reportedly talked about winning a Super Bowl together in Baltimore. While the situation between Jackson and the Ravens isn’t. resolved, the addition to the offense is viewed as a significant step forward.
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It’s possible Batimore’s unique approach with Jackson might have worked. Instead of placing the exclusive franchise tag on the All-Pro quarterback, the Ravens used the non-exclusive tag. It allowed Jackson to negotiate with other teams in NFL free agency, but every potential suitor ruled itself out immediately after he became a free agent.
Evidently, the offer Jackson was hoping to land won’t be on the table and the Ravens appear to be the only team left standing for now. While it remains possible that Jackson doesn’t have a long-term future in Baltimore, it now seems unlikely he would sit out regular-season games. Otherwise, Beckham Jr. and Jackson wouldn’t have a realistic shot at winning a Super Bowl with the Ravens.
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