Indianapolis, the home of the Baltimore Ravens, is in the midst of a tense negotiating period with the team’s quarterback and leader, Lamar Jackson. The Ravens have been stuck in a quagmire of ambiguity for the past six weeks as negotiations for a contract extension remain stagnant. This week, General Manager Eric DeCosta’s comments at the NFL scouting combine shaded his wide receivers, and first round pick Rashod Bateman responded publicly, bringing Jackson into the conversation. This is the latest of a series of events which has seen the Ravens and Jackson enter a state of coin-flip uncertainty in terms of the quarterback’s future with the team.
DeCosta has been candid in his remarks about the difficulties of negotiating without an agent, as Jackson is without one. The bluntness of an agent-to-GM negotiation is something the GM can rarely get away with when speaking to the player directly. This, coupled with the lack of traction in negotiations, has made for a tense atmosphere in Baltimore.
The situation has been further complicated by the NFL Players Association’s release of team report cards, which gave the Ravens’ strength coaches an F- rating and evoked responses from former Ravens players about their injuries. To top it off, there have been conflicting reports about what kind of deal Jackson is looking for, with some sources saying he is seeking a fully guaranteed deal like Deshaun Watson’s and others saying he is not.
The next five days will be critical in determining the future of Jackson’s relationship with the Ravens. If the two sides are unable to reach an agreement, the team will have to apply the franchise tag to the quarterback. This could lead to Jackson’s acceptance or rejection of the tag, and possibly his request to be traded. With the clock ticking down, it is increasingly unlikely that the two sides will be able to reach an extension. As the situation continues to unravel, one thing is clear: the Ravens and their star quarterback are in for a rocky road ahead.
