The Baltimore Ravens could risk losing Lamar Jackson to an NFL rival as the team ponders whether to place the non-exclusive franchise tag on the quarterback.
Jackson hasn't spoken publicly about his contract since the start of the 2022 season, and he hasn't spoken to reporters in general since he suffered a season-ending knee injury in early December. Jackson is one of the NFL’s most exciting players and certainly deserves a lucrative deal after winning the MVP award back in 2019.
He has already turned one blockbuster offer down from the Ravens. Jackson reportedly turned down an offer worth $274million over six years to keep him in Baltimore through 2027 - with $133m fully guaranteed.
Jackson’s desire for more fully guaranteed money - and a deal closer to Deshaun Watson’s fully guaranteed five-year contract worth $230m with the Cleveland Browns - has ultimately kept the parties from agreeing a deal. One of the sticking points is over Jackson’s health, as he suffered a PCL sprain to miss the final six weeks of the season as the Ravens finished 2022 with a 10-7 record, reaching the playoffs only to fall at the first hurdle at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Jackson has finished the fifth-year option of his rookie deal and if no new contract is ironed out soon, Baltimore will have to place the franchise tag on the quarterback to keep him from exploring the market as an unrestricted free agent. Without a new contract, the Ravens can keep Jackson in Baltimore for only two more seasons with the franchise tag.
Negotiations began between the two parties 25 months ago and they reportedly remain far apart on figures. At the NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday, DeCosta said no decision had been made on which tag Baltimore could apply - and reports suggest the Ravens are strongly considering placing the non-exclusive tag on Jackson.
The non-exclusive franchise tag would see the Ravens pay him the average of the salaries of the position over the previous campaigns, while Jackson would have the possibility of talking to interested teams that can make an offer to the quarterback. The Ravens would ultimately be able to match or surpass the rival’s contract offer - or decide to ship Jackson in exchange for two first round picks.
Any franchise in need of a quarterback would undoubtedly send a pair of first round selections for the former MVP, with the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins reportedly interested in a move for Jackson. The 26-year-old hails from Pompano Beach, Florida and so a move to Miami has been mooted in the past.
Last month, a report by The Athletic’s Mike Sando claimed an NFL executive thought a trade between the Ravens and Dolphins made sense as Jackson would fit perfectly in Florida while Tua Tagovailoa could thrive in Baltimore under John Harbaugh. Ultimately, Jackson simply wants to get paid after he played for just $1.77m in 2021 and $23.016m last season.
