Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh insisted the franchise ‘loves’ Lamar Jackson after the former MVP requested a trade from the AFC North team.
On Monday, Jackson - whose future has been one of the biggest storylines across the offseason - announced he has requested a trade from the Ravens. Baltimore selected him with the 32nd pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft and it appears the quarterback’s time with the franchise is nearing its end.
Jackson addressed his future publicly for the first time this offseason as he claimed he requested a trade from the Ravens after the team placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him. The tag allows Jackson to speak with other franchises over his future, while the Ravens can ultimately match or surpass any contract offer - or decide to ship the 26-year-old in exchange for two first round picks.
Remarkably, Jackson’s Twitter post coincided with coach Harbaugh addressing media at the NFL’s annual meeting. When asked about his franchise quarterback requesting a trade, Harbaugh said: “I’m getting ready for Lamar… When Lamar gets back on this train, it’s moving full speed. We love him.”
The non-exclusive tag would see Baltimore pay Jackson the average of the salaries of the quarterback position over previous campaigns if he stays with the franchise in 2023. Jackson cannot be traded until he signs the franchise tag, which he could do at any time while his future is being resolved.
Jackson’s post was seemingly titled ‘A letter to my Fans’, and it read: “I want to first thank you all for all of the love and support you consistently show towards me. All of you are amazing and I appreciate y’all so much. I want you all to know not to believe everything you read about me. Let me personally answer your questions.
“In regards to my future plans. As of March 2nd I requested a trade from the Ravens organisation for which the Ravens has not been interested in meeting my value, any and everyone that’s has met me or been around me know I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team win the Super Bowl.
“You all are great but I had to make a business decision that was best for my family and I. No matter how far I go or where my career takes me, I’ll continue to be close to my fans of Baltimore Flock nation and the entire State of Maryland. You’ll see me again.”
Jackson is one of the NFL’s most exciting players and certainly deserves a lucrative deal after winning the MVP award back in 2019 - becoming the second unanimous winner of the coveted award after seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady. Ultimately, he wants to get paid on a lucrative long-term deal after he played for just $1.77million in 2021 and $23.016m last season.
