When asked during his fourth annual “Funday with LJ” event on Saturday if he and the Ravens will agree to a new deal before training camp begins on July 26, Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson said, “[h]opefully. I’m not going to say ‘yeah’ right now. Hopefully. But it’s God’s timing” (via Safid Deen of USA Today). Jackson added that he is not presently considering a training camp holdout.
Jackson’s contract status has been the biggest storyline surrounding the Ravens this offseason. The 2019 MVP is scheduled to earn just over $23MM in 2022 under the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, but the booming quarterback market and the cost of a franchise tag in 2023 (roughly $35MM) suggest that Baltimore would want to work out a long-term extension sooner rather than later.
According to the team, the reason that a deal is not in place, or at least closer to the finish line, is because Jackson had not come to the table to negotiate. But there are other complicating factors. The fact that Jackson represents himself is one of them, as is his statistical regression from his MVP campaign — first in QBR in 2019, seventh in 2020, and 17th in 2021 — his sprained ankle that ended his 2021 season prematurely, and the fact that much of his value is tied to his running ability. Then there is the matter of Deshaun Watson‘s fully-guaranteed five-year, $230MM contract with the Browns, though Jackson has implied that Watson’s deal will not have any bearing on his own.
In November 2021, it was reported that Jackson was targeting a contract with a $45MM AAV and that the Ravens were not willing to go that far. The team was reportedly amenable to $40MM/year pact, but of course, cash flow and guarantees are the true indicators of a contract’s value. Speculatively, it could be that the gulf between the two sides was such that the quarterback felt further engagement in contract talks would have been a fruitless endeavor, and that he would be better off playing out the 2022 season to prove that he is deserving of a top-of-the-market pact. To be clear, Jackson has never suggested as much, though he did reportedly tell the team he was focused on having the best possible year and did not want to discuss a contract until after the 2022 campaign.
There was something of a sea change at mandatory minicamp in June, when Jackson and Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta touched base on the contract situation. It is unclear where negotiations stand at this point, but his comments yesterday indicate that Jackson is now willing to put this matter behind him before the end of the year.
As Deen observes, Jackson recently made some waves on social media when he changed his Instagram profile picture and his Twitter header to a picture of a mouth with a gold grill that reads “I Need $.” The image is from a movie called “How High” starring rappers Method Man and Redman, and Jackson says he simply found it amusing and wanted to post it. It was not, he asserts, intended to be a comment on his dealings with the Ravens.
“I don’t know why people are blowing it up,” Jackson said. “I just saw Bleacher Report post it. They just take anything that’s posted on social media and just blow it up, and try to think for you. I don’t take it too seriously. … Our contract discussion is going on already. But it ain’t about that though. I’m not putting my business life on social media. I won’t ever do that. I won’t put my personal life on social media. I’ll show stuff, but I won’t throw subliminal [messages] out. That’s not me.”
His remark that “our contract discussion is going on already” is certainly notable given the history of his extension talks. It would seem that neither player nor team would want to continue negotiating into the regular season, but there is no real deadline since Jackson is not playing under the franchise tag. So while a new deal may be likelier now than it was a month ago, it is still difficult to put any sort of timeframe on it.
Lamar Jackson is many things, but I don’t think that “naive” is one of them. For him to say that Watson’s contract won’t have any bearing on his own, or for him to say that the “I need $” photo is unrelated and to act surprised that people are making a big deal out of it… sorry, I’m not buying any of that.
Unless he’s really that stupid….
His contract negotiations have been one of the biggest offseason stories this year. So he wonders why if he posts a picture of “I need $” where people would react the way they did? Of course they’re gonna assume you’re talking about your contract. (Because you very likely are.)
So he actually said “opefully” and they needed to add the H? What the ell!
Maybe give him 3 years $135m fully guaranteed. End of story. There’s a good chance his body doesn’t hold up beyond that, if that far. If he’s going to win a super bowl with his current set of skills (great running, so-so passing with good flashes), then it’s going to happen within 3 years, not beyond that. So give him what he wants but no guarantees past 3 years.
That’s basically franchise tagging him for 2 years after this season. That might be what ends up happening.
Lot of chatter this year about immature QB’s. Waston, Murray, & Baker. But getting gold teeth with ‘I need money’ etched into also shows a lack of maturity.
I couldn’t give a better example as why not to pay him in the $40m range.
I dunno that qb on the browns that molested 27 women is a pretty strong example……
I agree. Lots of immature ‘faces of the franchise’ in today’s game. Rich enough to buy themselves out of trouble and won’t learn a single lesson.
When have Jackson or Murray ever gotten in trouble?
Immaturity doesn’t mean arrest. The Cards called Murray immature in public this offseason.
“Rich enough to buy themselves out of trouble and won’t learn a single lesson.” What trouble?
Watson paying off 20+ women so far, rich.
OK,I’ll ask again: What trouble have Jackson and Murray ever gotten into?
Apparently you’re 6 months behind. Her’s an article from Arizona News stating clearly the team calls Murray immature. It was stated in February by the franchise.
link to darik.news
I’m well aware of the anonymous comments about Murray’s character coming from a team with an incompetent, extreme drunk driving GM. What trouble has he gotten into? And what does it have to do with Jackson?
Everything! When your bosses call you out like that. But keep dreaming your his BFF. You always do. Sleep tight.
You still haven’t answered what trouble Jackson has ever gotten himself into, let alone needed to buy himself out of. I don’t imagine I know any of these guys, but you certainly imagine ways to feel superior to them. Jackson posts something goofy online and you lump him in with Watson? Get a grip.
Being immature doesn’t mean you have been arrested. Baker has never, to my knowledge, been arrested. But the Browns said that all offseason. Same for the Cards w/ Murray.
Trying to negotiate a $40m year salary by using etched gold teeth on SM is immature.
But you’re immature for continuing this debate.
Google baker runs from cops in Fayetteville, AR.
(He plead guilty to 3 misdemeanors).
Most of Bakers “maturity stuff” was things he did back in college….which a lot of us did dumb crap back them.
While in Cleveland I don’t recall any issues with the law then. The haters just point to stupid stuff he did in college which mostly was really minor compared to the dude they signed.
I don’t follow what college kids do. Since being drafted, I haven’t heard of any foolishness about Baker. But his franchise clearly wanted him gone and immaturity was stated in every media forum for 6 months.
Did they upgrade from Baker for off field behavior, no. Watson is a dirt ball. But a good to great dirt ball QB is and always has been better than an average immature QB.
Personally I’m glad he’s off that dump off a franchise and is in a good place to start over. He did something 20-30 some odd QBs before him were unable to do and that’s lead the team to a winning season and a playoff win over their rival.
Nothing wrong with that. I have no ill will towards any player. I comment on NFL headline news. I don’t know them, don’t claim too.
But to try and argue Murray and Baker aren’t immature when both of their franchises state so publicly for months is foolish.
If it were my position, I wouldn’t pay Murray, Mayfield, Watson or Lamar $40m. I simply can’t trust them from what I’ve read over their careers. They don’t come across as professionals.
I’ll say this. Overrated! Don’t believe the hype
He isn’t worth 40 million. Limited by his size accuracy vision and durability. Not a franchise quarterback.