Is The Ravens and Lamar Jackson's Relationship Now Beyond Repair?
Lamar Jackson's contract saga with the Baltimore Ravens has continued to drag on for the last two years. Knowing that, eventually, they would have to pay the piper, the Ravens appear to have no intention of doing so.
Thus, signing him to the non-exclusive franchise tag.
While the exact number of what Jackson wants is unknown, reports state he is after the same type of deal that Deshaun Watson received from the Cleveland Browns ($230 million fully guaranteed).
No one can say that Lamar doesn't deserve that type of money, yet the Ravens appear unwilling to guarantee that much. So that brings us to the relationship between player and franchise.
While Baltimore has stated all the right things publicly that they want to get a long-term deal done for Jackson, behind closed doors, it appears to be a different message.
Representing himself, Jackson is doing things a little outside of the box, and he has to deal with all the intricacies of negotiating a deal and that could also be hindering a potential contract resolution.
But it feels like the Ravens do not fully trust Lamar's long-term health, and the thought of offering him a substantial amount of guaranteed money has made them place the tag on him.
But don't get it twisted. If the Ravens "really" wanted Jackson as their franchise quarterback, this saga would have ended a long time ago.
He has been in the league for five years, has a 46-15 record, has an MVP in his back pocket, and is an All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler.
What more do the Ravens want/need to see before offering a contract worthy of Jackson's skill set and ability?
The biggest takeaway from yesterday's franchise deadline is New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones signing a four-year, $160 million deal ($40 million per season), and yet Jackson was tagged for just $32 million.
That left many baffled.
The consensus is that Jackson's time in Baltimore is quickly coming to an end, and the relationship between him and the organization could be soured to a point where it is now impossible to reconcile.
If this is truly all about "guaranteed money", then undoubtedly, a player of Jackson's caliber is one of the few in the NFL who deserves to be at the pointy end of the payment scale.
But the Ravens think differently, and as a result, they find themselves on the verge of parting ways with a player many feel is one of the best in the league and brutally damaging their relationship with him in the process.
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