The Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson have been in negotiations for a new contract for some time now, and while the team has remained relatively tight-lipped about the details, Jackson’s camp has been quite vocal. Most recently, Stephen A. Smith reported on ESPN’s First Take that Jackson’s camp claims the quarterback has never demanded a fully-guaranteed contract from the Ravens.
This statement seems to contradict what has been reported for months now, that Jackson is seeking the same deal as Deshaun Watson – five years, fully guaranteed. In fact, the NFL Players Association even filed a grievance last season on behalf of Jackson, accusing teams of colluding to not give him a fully-guaranteed contract.
Smith also reported that the Ravens’ best offer prior to the 2022 season included $133 million fully guaranteed. While this may sound like a substantial offer, it is impossible to properly evaluate without knowing more details. Specifically, the most important information that has yet to be released is how much more money initially guaranteed for injury would have become fully guaranteed in March 2023. Without this information, it is impossible to truly evaluate the fairness of the offer.
Given the lack of information released by both sides, it is difficult to assess who is to blame for the lack of progress in negotiations. Smith posed the question to the Ravens “Did you or did you not lowball this man with an offer of 133 million guaranteed?” But perhaps the same question should be posed to Jackson and his camp. “Did the Ravens or did they not offer significant additional injury guarantees that would have become full guarantees in March 2023?” If the answer is yes, then Jackson’s camp is not accurately portraying the deal on the table.
It is clear that both sides need to stop playing games and start being honest with each other. Until that happens, it is unlikely that a deal will be reached and Jackson will remain a Raven.
