LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 25: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on November 25, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Image: Getty)
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson confirmed on social media that the Baltimore Ravens were not offering him $250 million guaranteed, a number that would give him the highest guaranteed salary in NFL history.
In an uncharacteristic move in the modern NFL landscape, Jackson doesn’t have an agent and is conducting his own contract negotiations. Even stranger, Jackson revealed details about the negotiations by replying to fans’ social media messages.
Responding to a series of tweets from speculating Ravens fans, Jackson rejected one individual’s prediction that the team had already offered him $250 million. Since Deshaun Watson was guaranteed $230 million by the Browns earlier in the offseason, the higher number has often been connected to Jackson as the natural and deserved next step.
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Despite handling his own contract talks, Jackson has repeatedly said that he is not holding out and has been a constant presence in the Ravens facility since training camps began.
He has set a deadline for negotiations to end at the start of the regular season, with or without a new deal, so that he can focus on his play.
Based on his generational talent, many are arguing that Jackson is worth whatever the Ravens can afford to pay him. Since taking joining the team in 2018, the Louisville graduate has led the team to a 41-17 record and three postseason runs.
His MVP season in 2019, during which he threw for 3,127 yards while running for 1,206, made him the natural successor to fellow mobile quarterback Michael Vick. In 2020, he became the only passer in NFL history to record two 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
Russell Wilson’s five-year, $245 million contract announced Thursday, featuring $165 million guaranteed, could hurt Jackson’s discussions with the Ravens as his self-imposed deadline approaches.
It’s difficult to compare any contract to the one Jackson could receive, however, because of his young age and highly unique skill set. It’a certainly possible that Jackson gets his deal, and Ravens fans rejoice as the organization locks down their hero for the foreseeable future. But the clock is ticking.
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