Two of the NFL’s best believe that impending free agent Lamar Jackson is deserving of a better salary than four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers.
The Super Bowl is this Sunday and that means the start of the busy NFL offseason will soon be at hand. One of the top stories heading into the spring will be the future of Baltimore Ravens franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson.
While he completed the final year of his rookie contract and will be a free agent, the team is expected to slap a franchise tag on him, and that is where the fun begins. The Ravens will then try and negotiate a new long-term deal and that has proven very difficult with the player who serves as his own agent.
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Jackson reportedly wants a guaranteed contract similar to Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson and for more money. The massive gap between the two sides is believed to be $100 million and could lead to the team even trading its best player.
While the guaranteed part of the deal will be a major sticking point, a pair of Pro Bowl stars claimed this week that beyond the guarantee, the starting point for a potential Lamar Jackson contract should surpass that of the $150 million three-year deal Aaron Rodgers signed last year, because Jackson deserves that much.
Mark Andrews on Lamar Jackson: ‘He deserves more’ money than Aaron Rodgers
During an edition of “The Von Cast” podcast, eight-time Pro Bowler Von Miller, and three-time Pro Bowler Mark Andrews spoke on the Lamar Jackson contract situation and suggested the 26-year-old deserves a bigger contract than future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Rodgers.
A player that has won four MVP awards, including in two of the last three seasons.
Von Miller: “He does more than Aaron Rodgers … He throws, he passes, he does everything, and Aaron Rodgers is getting $50 million a year.”
Mark Andrews: “You’re speaking facts man. Everything you said is true, he deserves it. He deserves more, man. He’s a fierce competitor. Every time he steps on that field he’s the one, he’s the guy. There’s no one like him. He’s a very special guy and I know he’s gonna get paid. I just hope that the deal gets done because I know the Ravens want to get the deal done.”
– Von Miller and Aaron Rodgers (h/t Dov Kleinman)
Obviously, Andrews is biased as a teammate of Jackson’s, however, that belief coming from Miller is interesting. He has faced the QB elites, including Rodgers, during a distinguished 12-year career. If he believes he is worth that sort of money, that does say a lot.
Lamar Jackson does have an AP MVP award under his belt after winning the award in 2019.