Lamar Jackson sets Friday as deadline for extension
One of the biggest storylines of the NFL offseason has been the contract negotiations between Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who doesn’t have an agent and is representing himself, and the organization.
With his fifth-year option exercised as a former first-round pick, Jackson is set to make a hair over $23 million for the 2022 season, the final year of his rookie deal. The 2019 MVP could be in-line for a record-setting extension, and might cause an ultimate bidding war if he actually enters the 2023 offseason without a new deal or a upcoming franchise tag from Baltimore.
The clock is ticking for the Ravens front office, too.
Jackson announced Wednesday that Friday will the hard deadline for a new deal to be agreed upon.
“As of right now, you know, we’re still talking,” Jackson said Wednesday. “The week’s not over yet, but soon, soon will be probably be a deadline, probably be cut off after this week.”
The quarterback was also pretty coy with the media on Wednesday when asked if he was any closer to a deal than he was before.
“I have no clue,” he said. “You have to ask the guy who I’m talking to.”
On top of all that, NFL.com insider Ian Rapoport reported earlier on Wednesday that, according to his understanding, a deal between the two parties is not imminent. He cited one of the biggest issues was guaranteed money, as Jackson seeks at or more than Deshaun Watson’s record-setting $230 million guaranteed that he received from the Browns this offseason.
Over his four seasons, Jackson has totaled 9,967 yards through the air with 84 touchdowns to 31 interceptions, while accumulating 3,673 more yards on the ground (on 6.0 yards per carry) with 21 additional touchdowns.
Make no mistake, assuming he stays healthy, Lamar Jackson is set to make a lot of money somewhere — Baltimore or otherwise. He was one of the most lethal quarterbacks in the league, in large part due to his mobility.
But as we all know, entering a new season without an extension carries a significant amount of risk, especially for a quarterback as mobile as Jackson. The 25-year-old signal caller did suffer an ankle injury that prematurely ended his season after 12 games, the only season of his career where he did not play at least 15 games.
But injuries are unpredictable in football. A severe one could certainly push back an impending extension and possibly sting his value for the next few seasons, if not the rest of his career if injuries continue to plague him.
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