Lamar Jackson Announces Deadline for Contract Extension Discussions

He’s entering the last year of his current deal.

As negotiations for a contract extensions continue, Lamar Jackson told reporters that the deadline for him and the team to come to an agreement on a contract extension is Friday. 

When Jackson was asked if he feels like he is closer to a deal than he was before, he said, “I have no clue. You have to ask the guy who I’m talking to.”

Jackson is one of the few players in the NFL who doesn’t have an agent and represents himself during negotiations, making this storyline all the more significant since he’s talking directly to team management. Being one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL, the fact that he and the team have yet to reach a deal has become a significant storyline. 

It’s unclear where the two sides diverge in negotiations, but it may have something to do with the guaranteed money of the deal. The Browns famously gave Deshaun Watson a fully guaranteed five-year deal worth $230 million this offseason and that deal could set a higher bar for Jackson. 

The 25-year-old superstar is entering the last year of his current deal and if he and Baltimore don’t come to an agreement by March, the team will need to place him on the franchise tag or he’ll become an unrestricted free agent. Jackson would earn $45 million under the exclusive tag. He’s set to make $23.016 million in 2022.

Last year, Jackson missed five games but still was named to his second Pro Bowl. He finished the season with 2,882 passing yards, 767 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns in his 12 games played.