Lamar Jackson Contract Holdout at Camp? What Are Ravens Thinking?

If the Ravens place the franchise tag on Lamar Jackson, there is some uncertainty about whether he would show up for OTAs.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — It seems a good bet that the Baltimore Ravens will place a franchise tag on Lamar Jackson as two sides continue to work on a long-term deal.

That's no surprise considering what's at stake. 

Jackson is a free agent after the season and the Ravens will likely apply the exclusive franchise tag on him for 2023, which will cost about $45 million, as they try to negotiate a new contract.

Meanwhile, coach John Harbaugh is in the process of hiring a new offensive coordinator after Greg Roman decided to walk away from the position.

If the Ravens place the franchise tag on Jackson, there is some uncertainty about whether he would show up for OTAs and voluntary minicamps. 

Harbaugh is not thinking that far ahead, but if Jackson does hold out, it could impact his performance with the new offensive coordinator. 

"There’s a history of that with guys that are given the tag, but Lamar’s a unique guy, too. Lamar's ... not beating to everybody’s drum. He does his own thing the way he wants to do it. So, those things will all come down the road as they come, and we’ll adjust and adapt as we face them.” 

Jackson likely wants a deal similar to Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who landed a five-year, $230 million contract with the Browns, including a $44.97 million signing bonus, $230 million guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $46 million.

The guaranteed money appears to be the sticking point.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta is preaching patience with the process.

"That’s the challenge really for a player representing himself, I think," DeCosta said. "We have to keep those two personalities separate: the Lamar Jackson, the agent, versus Lamar Jackson, the player. The player is somebody who I hold in extremely high regard. He’s a fantastic competitor, one of the most infectious personalities you’ll ever see, one of the most talented players in the league, a truly wonderful person in the community in everything else that he does. 

"We’ll put our heads together; we’ll negotiate a contract. I told Lamar that, ‘Hey, this thing has been a burden for both of us,’ I said, ‘But when this thing is over, we are going to feel like a million bucks,’ and that’s truly how I feel.” 

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