Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has revealed he has qualms about awarding NFL players with fully-guaranteed contracts amid rumours the AFC South franchise could make a run at Lamar Jackson.
On Monday, Jackson - whose future has been one of the biggest storylines across the offseason - announced he had requested a trade from the Ravens earlier this month on 2 March. It became the dominant topic at this week’s NFL owners’ meetings in Arizona, with Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh addressing the situation.
Other franchises are able to speak to Jackson and any team that signs the 26-year-old to an offer sheet would owe the Ravens two-first round picks if the AFC North team declined to match the deal. Any team that signs Jackson to an offer sheet would owe the Ravens two first-round picks if they decline to match the contract, but the quarterback’s public trade request was potentially an invite to teams to negotiate a better deal with the Ravens.
On Monday, Colts general manager Chris Ballard confirmed the team are interested in Jackson - labelling him a ‘special player’ as the team needs a dynamic, young face of the franchise. Indianapolis have endured constant quarterback upheaval since Andrew Luck retired in 2019 and there is genuine consideration over a move for the 2019 MVP - but Irsay has a few issues with any trade.
Jackson reportedly wants a market-defining deal along with heavy guaranteed sums, while any team that signs him would have to give up heavy draft capital due to the non-exclusive franchise tag. The organisational cost to get Jackson could be too great for the Colts, and while Irsay has no issue in bestowing a large contract upon the quarterback, he has a problem signing off on a fully-guaranteed contract.
“As an owner I do not believe in fully-guaranteed contracts,” Irsay said, per The Athletic. “I think that a percentage is one thing, but from what I’ve seen from the NBA and baseball, I don’t see it as a positive competitively.”
The Cleveland Browns gave Deshaun Watson a guaranteed contract worth $250m after his trade from the Houston Texans, and Jackson has reportedly already turned down a lucrative extension with the Ravens with $133m guaranteed. Ultimately, Irsay is reluctant to guarantee a majority of the contract and he has also expressed concerns about giving up draft capital that could be used to round out the roster, even for a quarterback of Jackson’s calibre.
Irsay noted ‘money is no issue’ but he is clearly keen to avoid compromising the franchise’s future to secure superstars. The 63-year-old said: “You’re always looking for great, dynamic players. The salary cap, and what you’re giving up draft pick-wise, is so important in franchise building.
“It really has nothing to do with actual dollars. I mean, paying a contract like that is not a problem. I mean, it's not a problem for me. The issue is what's the right thing to do for the franchise in terms of what helps us win in the long run.”
The Colts certainly need a playmaker at the quarterback position after enduring Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan over the last two seasons. The franchise currently have Gardner Minshew, Nick Foles and Sam Ehlinger on the roster - none of whom are the answer, hence the links to Jackson.
The Ravens quarterback would be a coup, but it would certainly limit the team’s ability to fix the rest of the holes on a roster that went 4-12-1 last season. Irsay also made it clear he believes the draft is the best way to go, adding: “We’re looking for the future guy, and we want the guy that can be there for the next 10 years.”
