Last month, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported that there is a very real possibility that the Ravens use the non-exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson. Today, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports that Baltimore has strongly considered that option, and several rival executives believe it makes the most sense for the club (subscription required).
The benefits of the non-exclusive tag are obvious. There is, of course, the considerable difference in price between the non-exclusive tag ($32.4MM) and exclusive tag ($45MM). Plus, player and team have been negotiating for a long time, and it is unclear whether any real progress has been made. By utilizing the non-exclusive tag, the Ravens would effectively be allowing other teams to do their negotiating for them, and they may feel confident that no other club is willing to give Jackson the fully-guaranteed contract he has been seeking. If they are correct in that regard, then they would be able to simply match an offer sheet and keep the 2019 MVP in the fold.
By the same token, allowing Jackson to speak with other clubs allows Baltimore to maintain neutrality should the two sides part ways, as Fowler posits. And, in the event that the Ravens choose not to match an offer sheet, they would obtain two first-round picks and would clear up a great deal of salary cap space to use on a different passer.
On the other hand, Baltimore may be able to fetch more than two first-round picks if it were to seek a Jackson trade, and using the lower tag may create additional tension at a time when the relationship between the parties may already be strained. One way or another, GM Eric DeCosta has a career-defining decision to make, and he must make it no later than March 7, the deadline to utilize a tag.
It seems unlikely that a long-term extension will be reached by that deadline, though the Ravens are still trying. Just yesterday, we learned that the club remains optimistic about the chances of such a deal coming to fruition, with one rumor indicating that Baltimore is willing to pay Jackson up to $50MM per year while guaranteeing 80% of the contract. Jackson’s teammate, veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell, also indicated that Jackson wants to remain in Baltimore.
For the love of Pete, just trade him already.
Smart move. Let the other teams do the dirty work. It’s very possible Jackson finds that no team will pay his contract demands and then be forced to reconsider. I don’t think any team will.
Seems like a needlessly risky idea. Even if no one gives him the full guarantees he supposedly wants, a team with tons of cap space like Atlanta could make him an offer at a number Baltimore would find acceptable, but with a structure that it’s impossible for Baltimore to match.
I think having to surrender two firsts for signing him away makes it a less risky idea than it might be.
If he’s traded, he would probably cost more than just two firsts.
Possibly. However, that would mean hammering out an agreement with him, likely far pricier than the tag, then finding somebody willing to pay for the contract AND surrender more than two firsts.
True, but Russell Wilson cost more than two firsts and two seconds when Denver presumably had at least a sketch of how big a contract they’d have to give him.
funny looking back at that now,
but Wilson was seen as an all-around pocket QB with minimal red flags.
Lamar can’t stay healthy, wants guaranteed money, and won’t have Mark Andrews on his new team.
they could land an extra 2nd or something, but no one’s giving up 3 1sts for Lamar Jackson.
Also semi-related is this draft is loaded with QBs including Anthony Richardson.
And not a bad FA market with Carr, Jimmy G, & Wentz representing an upgrade over the usual career-backup type QBs who actually make it to the market.
all these things chip away at Lamars trade value as teams can say, eh let’s go with CJ Stroud and Wentz combo etc.
He won’t have Mark Andrews, but he won’t have Demarcus Robinson as his number one receiver. And if you’re at the point of considering Wentz a problem for Jackson’s market, you might not be thinking clearly.
Wentz + a 1st round rookie is pennies on the dollar from what you’d pay Lamar to not be available for playoffs
and why do you think Baltimore didn’t invest in WRs?
because the best fit was guys who could run deep on broken route QB scrambles
I’m curious to see what he could do in a Monken scheme that actually has ideas for the passing game, hopefully with another option at receiver. I’m less confident in third or fourth choice of QB in the draft.
so you’d give him millions of guarenteed dollars to become a project as a pocket QB?
If im going that route I’d be more interested to find out if Will Levis is the next Josh Allen, CJ Stroud the next Hurts, or Anthony Richardson the next Lamar himself.
I’m not saying I’d give him Watson guarantees, but I think he’s less of a projection to a new offense than those comps you just made.
Wentz is terrible. I’d rather have Gardner Minshew or Jacoby Brissett.
I listed Wentz as like a Trubisky, where he plays a handful of games to bridge a rookie QB..
not sure why everyone’s cherry picking Wentz when I named like 9 other QBs
…but uh , that was before Derek Carr got 150 mil , so I guess Lamar is worth 500 mil guarenteed after-all 😉
Well I cherry picked him because of the Wentz + Stroud argument.
No top WR wants to go play with a QB that runs the ball every play. They won’t get touches and they know it. They’ll never get a top tier WR as a FA and if they draft one know one will know if he’s any good because he’ll never get the ball thrown to him.
A lot of that is Roman’s scheme.
If Atlanta would sign Jackson, they would definitely be the favorite in that bad decision. It would be worth it
Atlanta is a mess.
I think Carr or Jimmy G on New Orleans or Tampa would still be favored over Atlanta with Lamar
But they don’t have those quarterbacks yet. Jackson is much better than Jimmy G or Carr. Atlanta is in a position that New Orleans or Tampa isn’t in in regards to cap space. They can still add, where the other 2 teams will have to cut players
Ravens are smart not to commit to Lamar. The likelihood of him staying healthy and maintaining his speed long term are a Longshot. Without his running ability, he is mediocre at best. Plus, leadership and accountability are paramount for a QB. Lamar had a suspiciously lingering injury last season and subsequently didnt even a show up to support his team during a playoff game. In contrast, Philip Rivers played in a playoff game 6 days after suffering a torn acl! Ravens should collect a couple 1st round picks and move on.
“Didn’t even show up to support his team during a playoff game”???
You know very little. He was in BLT rehabbing non-stop in the event they won he might play the next game. It’s funny to hear narratives from people. This one is up there for idiocy
No one believes that dude.
Some commentators don’t follow every tidbit of info regarding all teams, therefore they use data they gleam from pfr and nfl ‘reporting genius’.
Ravens were the only team agreeing to his demand to be a QB out of college. It’s time for him to move on. No matter how he is classified if he signs for a lower number the Ravens will regret it and he will always want more. He’s an egotistical idiot who will never lead them to a title as did Trent Dilfer.
That first sentence is nonsense. Bill Polian, us that you?
If that were the case, he wouldn’t have gone 1st round, he would have gone 7th round. He was always going to be drafted as a QB.
IMO let the Falcons overpay for him. It would take a team a couple years to reconfigure their roster to suit a running QB and by then, Jackson won’t be able to run effectively any more. Same goes with the Commanders or the Texans or whomever is lurking out there thinking they can poach Jackson.
Their whole offense was already built around the run last year, and they almost won the division with Marcus Mariota.
Which 2 firsts would a team give up if they sign him?
Would ATL give up their first this year and next?
Correct. If Atlanta signed Lamar before this year’s draft, they’d forfeit their ’23 and ’24 first rounders to Baltimore. In the event they signed Lamar post-draft, their ’24 and ’25 first rounders would go to Baltimore.
no team is giving him a fully guaranteed that rival anything close Watson deal because no team was as desperate as the Browns. Honestly if im the Ravens id treat him like a running back and unload him because as RBs gets older the hits take their toll and he’ll start becoming more injured see the last 2 years and no top flight WR is coming to Baltimore to play with Jackson.
Apparently you never seen Jackson play. He rarely takes big hits. His 2 injuries occurred when he was in the pocket, not running plays. He does slide and runs out of bounds. Not many running backs slide before a hit. Actually a quarterback that is standing in the pocket is susceptible to injuries more.
Paying a single player near 1/4 of your ‘cap’ is fiscal irresponsibility.
How many games has he not played?
Every year QBs are touted as ‘the one that can save our franchise’ yet these franchise QBs only occur every 3-5 years and some aren’t 1st round picks.
Letting other teams set a market value brings a taste of reality to some negotiations, then there’s the Browns or Dallas or Rams that seem bent on self destruction
Which number is nearly 25% of a $256 million cap? And the Rams won the second to last Super Bowl, so their self destruction worked out pretty well.
50-53 million per year for a QB
“Non-exclusive franchise tag” just sounds too muc to me like “double secret probation”.
Only because the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor…
Whatever that is.
BS. They are not using the non-exclusive tag. This is click bait and you have no legitimate source. Such garbage journalism.
Seriously? This is the smartest move. Either Lamar gets a reality check when no one makes an offer, Baltimore gets two first-round picks, or they keep him for the lower rate for one year and then trade him. Plan B is to overpay him and C is to get nothing for letting him go.
He will get franchised and when Burrow and Herbert don’t get fully guaranteed deals Lamar will sign for the contract the Ravens offered or they will get at least 2 1st, 2 2nd and a player or 2. A franchise Qb is worth much more than 2 1st round picks.
The net result is they’ll now pay record QB rates for a part-time RB
It would be great if Atalanta traded for him. Then Balt would have 8th & 22nd picks to trade up for a QB that they like. There’s a reason Balt is always competitive, good leadership.
If it’s true that the ravens have offered $50m per year with 80% guaranteed…that comes to $200m guaranteed on a 5 year deal. If Lamar isn’t taking that, then he’s a jerk.
If they offered that and he said no, he doesn’t really want to be there.
There is “guaranteed” and then there is FULLY guaranteed. If they offered him that much fully guaranteed he is an absolute idiot not to take it.
My guess is that number is intentionally misleading and was leaked by the team.
I would Trade him for 2 first round picks. Too many hard feelings now.
That is the best option for them and Lamar.
The possibility of the non-exclusive tag is the *reason* he hasn’t been traded. Teams picking in the back half of the 1st round (or expecting to be) don’t want to give more than two 1st round picks (for example, those plus a 2nd, 3rd) that they would have to give up in a trade.
He may be done with the game? Last couple years with injuries, he wants out while still healthy? Whichever tag the Ravens offer, he refuses and sits out. During the course of the 23 season he announces his retirement!? Heck, he’s made plenty of cash/pay to already be set for life. If this is his angle, smart!
We will pay him in NY. Def more value than Jones at 45 mil
And he won how many playoff games?