Ed Reed Issues A Warning To Lamaar Jackson Over Contract Situation

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is off to an MVP-caliber start in the final year of his rookie contract, and for this reason, he needs to be smart, according to Hall of Famer Ed Reed.

Reed — who spent 11 of his 12 NFL seasons with the Ravens — talked to The Ringer's Kevin Clark about his concerns that Jackson's style of play could lead to injury and cost him a lot of money.

"He's just gotta be smart," Reed said. "I'm not telling him to play scared or anything, 'cause I don't think he's gonna do that. He hasn't displayed that."

Reed's been around the block and is currently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, so he certainly knows what he's talking about. He's well aware that professional sports are business, and sometimes a cutthroat one at that.

"It is a business," Reed continued. "They will use that s-it against you, whether you like it or not."

"There's no shocks at the Ravens because they are an organization, it's a business. It's a business first. There's the NFL and there's football to the players and us, and we love that. But it's a business first to the league, he said"

"You've got to know how to operate your business."

What Reed is saying is true to any player, but has always been a frequent talking point around mobile quarterbacks like Jackson. It's a tough spot because the way he plays is why he/s worth the big bucks, but it also puts him at a higher risk of injury.

It's like a high-risk, high-reward stock market venture to further Reed's point about it being a business.

So far this season, Jackson has to lead the Ravens to a 2-1 start. He's got a 63.6% completion rate and leads the league with 10 passing touchdowns. He has also used his feet for nearly 300 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns.

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