Lamar Jackson, Ravens Contract Saga Gets Another Round of Bad News
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens aren't getting closer to a reunion.
The latest update on the LJ and Ravens contract extension news is spelling out a grim outlook for the chances of the QB's return. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, both sides are in the middle of a contract negotiation and roughly $100 million off on guaranteed money for their next deal.
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“Baltimore and Jackson could possibly be $100 million apart there, a huge gap to bridge,” Fowler said in a recent report. “Those trade calls are coming. I don’t get the sense that the process has heated up, in part because teams are assuming Jackson will be tagged. It’s still very early on this one.”
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
(Photo by Todd Olszewski/Getty Images)
Jackson continues to be interested in reaching close to a fully guaranteed deal, such as the contract that Jimmy Haslam and the Browns gave Deshaun Watson. Watson's deal set a bad precedent for owners behind closed doors, but now it's showing up with players' negotiations on new agreements.
As the average salary for new QB deals crosses $40 million per year, word on Lamar's new contract entails that the Ravens QB expects a near-$50 million per year payout.
Before the season, the Ravens proposed a five-year, $250 million contract extension, which Jackson declined because roughly half of the money being guaranteed ($133 million).
Should a deal not be completed with Jackson, the former MVP may face a franchise tag, with an eventual in-season trade still in the cards.
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Teams rumored to be interested in Lamar this offseason include the New York Jets and Atlanta Falcons.