Ravens Have Played Lamar Jackson Contract Situation Perfectly

Lamar Jackson is the hottest free agent in the NFL right now. But the Baltimore Ravens are playing the long game with their quarterback.

The Baltimore Ravens may look like the craziest team in the NFL for not signing Lamar Jackson to a long-term deal when he's clearly worth one.

At 26 years old, Jackson has already accomplished a lot in his five-year career and is destined for more as he continues to play through his prime. But the big question is, where will he be playing?

After the non-exclusive tag was used on Jackson earlier this week, the Ravens put themselves in the best position possible because it triggered the following ...

• The Ravens must receive two first-round picks if Jackson's offer sheet isn't matched.

• The Ravens will have five days to match any offer Jackson may get from any of the other 31 teams.

The first item isn't going to deter too many teams away. If Deshaun Watson was acquired for three first-round picks and three mid-round picks, and if Russell Wilson was dealt for two firsts, two seconds, a fifth and three established players, Jackson's price is elementary.

But the second item is what is deterring many teams away from the Jackson sweepstakes ... at least for now.

Jackson is set to be the most expensive free agent on the market this offseason and there are teams that should be open to paying what he wants. The fully-guaranteed deal may be a stretch, but Jackson could still sign one of the richest contracts in league history.

However, any team that signs Jackson is basically on ice for five days in free agency. Should a team sign Jackson for a $250 million contract offer sheet, that team has to set that money aside for him and wait five days for the Ravens to match.

During those five days of waiting, the team is essentially sidelined while everyone else goes out and spends on the top free agents. And if the Ravens were to simply match the offer sheet, the team that signs Jackson not only misses out on him but all the pricy free agents they passed for the chance to sign the 2019 MVP.

Because of the non-exclusive tag, teams might wait until after the first few waves of free agency, or even until after the draft to sign Jackson. But by then, teams' salary caps will be significantly lower than they are now and Jackson's market will shrink.

Even if a team signs Jackson to an offer sheet in May, it could be a much easier contract for the Ravens to match.

Now, this whole stunt to keep Jackson may keep him annoyed and in a mood to not want to play for the Ravens again, which could lead to a holdout. 

But the Ravens have done everything in their power to keep Jackson on their terms, and their plan is likely to match whichever offer sheet comes their way.

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