Lamar Jackson Posts ‘I Need $’ Photo on Twitter, Instagram

The Ravens quarterback remains without a rookie contract extension with training camp less than a month away.
Lamar Jackson Posts ‘I Need $’ Photo on Twitter, Instagram
Lamar Jackson Posts ‘I Need $’ Photo on Twitter, Instagram /
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Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson appears to be dropping hints about where his head is at amid ongoing contract negotiations with the franchise. 

Taking to social media on Saturday, Jackson made not one but two notable changes to his various social media profiles. The former MVP swapped out both his Instagram profile picture and his Twitter banner picture to a photo of golden teeth with a simple, yet pointed message: “I need $.”

With training camp rapidly approaching, Jackson and the Ravens have yet to reach an agreement on a long-term contract. Baltimore previously exercised the fifth-year option, worth $23 million next season, on the quarterback’s rookie deal, but does not have the 25-year-old under contract past the 2022 campaign. 

Jackson, who is serving as his own representative in the negotiations, has made clear throughout the offseason that he wants the talks between him and the franchise to remain “private.” He also said last month that he expected to finish his career with the Ravens, the team that drafted him in the first round back in 2018. 

However, it’s been many weeks since Jackson made those comments and there’s been no further update on whether or not progress has been made in talks between him and the front office.

Jackson is coming off of his shakiest year as a starter in the NFL that saw him throw for 2,882 yards, 16 touchdowns and a career-high 13 interceptions in 12 games during the 2021 campaign. Struggling with injuries throughout the season, he posted a 7–5 record as a starter. The Ravens stumbled down the stretch and missed out on the playoffs, losing their last six games and ending with an 8–9 record.

As of late, social media has become a powerful tool when it comes to NFL contract negotiations with a handful of players altering their online presence to put pressure on their respective organizations. Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, who is also seeking a long-term contract heading into his fifth professional season, scrubbed his profiles of anything related to the franchise earlier this offseason. Murray later restored his profile normal and later called Arizona “home,” but his agent urged the front office to prioritize a deal for the quarterback as soon as possible. 

While it’s unknown if Jackson hopes to accomplish the same goal of putting pressure on the Ravens, the quarterback will certainly hope to gain some clarity before training camp begins in late July.

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Zach Koons
ZACH KOONS

Zach Koons is a programming editor at Sports Illustrated who frequently writes about Formula One. He joined SI as a breaking/trending news writer in February 2022 before joining the programming team in 2023. Koons previously worked at The Spun and interned for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He currently hosts the "Bleav in Northwestern" podcast and received a bachelor's in journalism from Northwestern University.