The Baltimore Ravens could lose one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL after Lamar Jackson requested a trade away from the team that picked him in the first-round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Jackson tweeted that he had requested the trade on 2 March because the Ravens “had “not been interested in meeting my value”. Jackson has been looking for a contract similar to the fully guaranteed $230m deal Deshaun Watson was given by the Cleveland Browns last year.
“I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team win the super bowl,” Jackson tweeted on Monday. He added that Ravens fans “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.”
Earlier this month, the Ravens applied the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, meaning he would be paid $32.4m this season but he could join any team who offers a better deal. The Ravens would receive two first-round picks in return for Jackson, who does not have an agent and represents himself. There appeared to be no offers for Jackson when the Ravens applied the tag, leading many to believe no other teams wanted to match the quarterback’s demands.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that he believes Jackson will stay in Baltimore.
in regards to my future plans. As of March 2nd I requested a trade from the Ravens organization 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
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) March 27, 2023
“I haven’t seen the tweet. It’s an ongoing process,” Harbaugh said. “I’m following it very closely ... I’m thinking about Lamar all the time. Thinking about him as our quarterback. We’re building our offense around that idea.”
ESPN has reported that the 26-year-old turned down a deal last September that would have given him $133m guaranteed at signing and $200m in total guarantees if he was with the Ravens on the fifth day of the 2026 league year.
Jackson was the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player, and his dynamic passing and running make him one of the game’s most compelling stars. He is already is one of six quarterbacks in NFL history with 10,000 yards passing and 4,000 rushing. His 12 games with at least 100 yards rushing are an NFL record.
Jackson has been hurt at the end of the past two seasons, and the Ravens haven’t reached the AFC championship game with him, but his impact on their offense is undeniable.
