Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson made it clear that he wants to sign a long-term deal with the franchise but he won’t negotiate a deal during the 2022 NFL season. The deadline is fast approaching and it appears Baltimore is taking one last swing at a deal.
The two sides have engaged in dialogue throughout the summer, exchanging figures at a time when many of the best quarterbacks in the NFL are getting paid. Taking a slower approach has already paid off for the face of the Ravens’ offense, with most of the top signal-callers resetting the market every few weeks with massive contracts.
- Lamar Jackson contract:Â $23.016 million salary (2022)
Even after Jackson missed the final four games of the 2021 season with an ankle injury, Baltimore proved its willingness to commit to a multi-year deal. As for Jackson, he is heading into the final year of his rookie contract with the same desire to remain with the Ravens but also with an understanding that the team needs to offer more for that to happen.
According to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, the Ravens have submitted an improved contract offer to Jackson before the season begins. While ownership refuses to make the deal fully guaranteed – like Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson – the proposal is reportedly an improvement upon what Baltimore submitted a few weeks ago.
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There have been very spare details regarding the exact terms of the contract. NFL teams typically look to avoid leaks getting out and the Ravens are an even more tight-lipped organization than other clubs. Another reason for the lack of rumors regarding the negotiations is Jackson doesn’t have an agent, someone negotiating on his behalf and leaking information to reports for leverage over the franchise.
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It’s widely believed that Baltimore offered Jackson a larger offer than the Kyler Murray contract. Arizona signed the face of its franchise to a five-year, $230 million extension to make him one of the highest-paid NFL players. Murray’s deal was quickly surpassed by Russell Wilson, with the Denver Broncos signal-caller receiving one of the largest AAVs and total salaries in NFL history.
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The Ravens know they are running out of time. Jackson won’t negotiate a contract before the season and it’s possible he could break off contract talks completely days before Sunday’s game. There is an incentive for him to wait as he’ll be eligible for NFL free agency in 2023.
In order to avoid that, Baltimore will place the exclusive franchise tag on the former NFL MVP. It means Jackson receives a one-year contract worth at least $33 million fully guaranteed and he can sign the tender and play on a one-year deal. After that, Jackson can go through the process again in 2024 and there will be a 120% increase on his previous salary.
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Assuming Jackson rejects Baltimore’s latest offer, he’s destined to receive a fully guaranteed salary approaching $35 million and that will increase to $40 million guaranteed in 2024 under the second year of the tag. At that point, he will hold all the leverage in negotiations with Baltimore as long as he stays healthy.