More than a week has passed since Lamar Jackson‘s negotiation window opened. No offer sheets have emerged, with several teams showing immediate indications they would not pursue the superstar quarterback. Only the Colts have kept the door open, and that it does not sound like the AFC South team is seriously considering an offer sheet.
As the offer sheet would need to be fully guaranteed or featuring guarantees far north of Russell Wilson‘s $124MM — currently the league’s second-most fully guaranteed number — to entice a unique player who has long been connected to seeking a figure in the Deshaun Watson neighborhood ($230MM). Teams also appear hesitant to extend an offer to Jackson due to the Ravens’ ability to match it.
The current belief around the league is the Ravens would match a Jackson offer sheet that comes either before or after the draft, PFT’s Mike Florio said during a recent Rich Eisen Show appearance (video link). The Ravens would have five days to match an offer; their refusal to do so would mean the team that lands Jackson would send over two first-round picks. Baltimore and another team could also agree on a separate trade, which may be the preference for QB-seeking squads.
Extension-eligible since January 2021, Jackson became the rare high-end QB draftee to play a fourth season on a rookie deal and joined the rarer club of passers to play on a fifth-year option. His $32.4MM cap number has hamstrung the Ravens in free agency, but as a nonexclusive franchise tag recipient, he is free to talk to other teams. The agent-less QB has not been connected to doing so, but a person claiming to represent Jackson now has.
Florio initially reported this Jackson associate, now believed to be Ken Francis, has attempted to negotiate on the quarterback’s behalf with multiple teams in an attempt to increase interest. The NFL, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, sent a memo to teams instructing them not to negotiate with Francis, who is not an NFLPA-certified agent. Francis is a Jackson business partner on a fitness endeavor, and while Jackson plugged the duo’s venture Thursday, he denied Francis is negotiating on his behalf (Twitter links). Under the CBA, only Jackson — since he does not have an agent — can speak to teams regarding a contract.
Francis was believed to be telling teams Jackson is ready to move on from the Ravens, Florio adds, and that the sixth-year player does not want a fully guaranteed deal. Even in the event Jackson is not asking for a fully guaranteed contract, he is believed to want guarantees well north of where non-Browns teams have authorized for a player.
Another team that could conceivably be interested should not be expected to meet Jackson’s price point. While the Patriots could make a significant upgrade by replacing Mac Jones with Jackson, the former being under rookie-contract control — potentially through 2025 — will likely lead to, per the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin, the Pats steering clear of a monster offer sheet for the former MVP. Will there be a team that does come forward as a serious suitor?
This nonsense just keeps getting better and better. Hire an agent already.
“His $32.4MM cap number has hamstrung the Ravens in free agency.” EXACTLY.
Look at the larger picture. During his time with Ravens, he has missed OTAs and mini-camps; has missed 10 games; has gone 1-3 in playoffs; wants a deal better than Deshaun; didn’t support team at Cincy playoff game; has not displayed the type of leadership you’d want from the QB position; and now, his salary cap is forcing Ravens to sit idle in free agency.
Ravens share blame here, but do you want all of this baggage with your QB? Time to move on…
Lamar is getting played by literally everyone around him. The NFLPA, the Ravens, his mommy, the Chuck Norris guy that’s trying to be his fake agent. Did I forget anyone?
Time for Baltimore to live on. Lamar cares more about his brand and his followers.
Lamar Jackson has missed 10 games therefore he doesn’t deserve more than Deshaun who has done nothing wrong to anyone and has been so successful in the playoffs hahaha, Ravens fans are trippin heavily but it’s cool watching the team get hamstrung by this
Deshaun deserved a prison sentence and some rear end violation
Fits his crimes
He has never committed a crime.
If you or I would have done it we would be in prison right now. Because he’s who he is – he’s playing in the NFL
Browns fans love acting like they know ball. Have the browns ever won anything?
Nope. They just take it from every team in The NFL
They actually have won multiple championships a division titles. That was of course before their owner moved them to Baltimore and became the Ravens.
NFL?
*after
He could have played in that playoff game against the Bengals.
He would not have been a 1st round pick if the Ravens hadn’t stepped up and made a trade.
A classic way to start a rivalry would be for Indy to trade back from #4 to 12-15, then again until the late 20’s. Finally writing up a contract. Get the draft capital to build around Lamar. That would have to TO Balt!
once you trade down you have to wait until after the draft to submit an offer. the first pick exchanged for a NEFA has to be your natural pick or higher.
the type of shenanigans you described are what prompted that to be included in the rules.
Most people on here don’t know anything about football or the NFL. They just want to run their mouth
I never knew that. But to does make sense to protect the team. I guess then Indy should be ruled out. Just as easy to market a 4th pick as it will be Lamar at a fraction of the cost.
This is what I’ve been saying. Stay at 4, let the other teams second guess themselves out of which of the 4 QBs they should take, plus you won’t be trading the additional first rounder next year and that also probably ends up being something useful.
It’s a real sure bet Lamar will be back with the Ravens, but will he play? Is this his leverage?
He has no leverage. He can sit out and it will cost him the franchise tag $$$. He should have signed the extension 2 off seasons ago. His mommy & the NFLPA are screwing him over big time. He’s the pawn for the NFLPAs dirty work.
Or perhaps, and hear me out, he’s not worth what he thinks he is. There’s a reason he’s trying for a big pay day right now – he knows it’ll be his last because he’ll be out of the league in 5 years.
I don’t disagree with you. There’s no fully guaranteed contract out there for him. Like most pro athletes these days he’s only been propped up by everyone around him. Doesn’t take criticism well at all because his leaches only kiss his ass.
He’s a fragile athlete that loses it on Twitter randoms. Grow up Lamar. You aren’t as important as you think you are.
Reality check….no one is
Better question is should Mason Rudolph try to prove himself as a starter in the XFL , or keep getting limited opportunities as a 3rd stringer?
Stay in the NFL as long as possible. Getting millions to hold a clip board will always be better than making thousands to get crushed by defensive players trying to get the attention of the NFL.
you’re talking about a QB2 .. he’s a QB3 .. thus why he should prove himself in XFL to guarantee that QB2 career. I really don’t think he gets QB2 money or longevity as of now.
Detroit just brought back Sudfeld.. Mason needs an avenue to show what he’s worth.
PJ Walker made the transition.. think we’ll see Ben DiNucci on a solid contract eventually too.
Rudolph is likely to have an NFL backup job for quite awhile. He showed enough in Pittsburgh to earn a clipboard for life.
Mason Rudolph signed a 1 year, $5,080,000 contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, including a $2,080,000 signing bonus, $2,080,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $5,080,000. Brett Hundley is set to make $200,000 to be the new quarterback of the XFL’s Vegas Vipers, which would make him the highest-paid player in the third iteration of the league.
Not even a discussion. Even if this is Rudolph’s last NFL contract, it is worth 25 years of being the XFL’s highest paid player.
you’re acting like Hundley didn’t make money too and is trying to get back in the league.
Mason hasn’t gotten a contract yet. if he does it’s not going to be the 5 mil he got when the steelers were empty at QB on the depth chart and locked in extension as a precaution.
1 year deal max, and if he doesn’t touch the field it’ll be retirement or XFL
I’m not “acting” like anything. They are all trying to get back into the NFL because you can make 25 years worth of XFL money in one season of being a third string NFL QB. There is no scenario that you turn down an NFL contract for the XFL. Even if it is to be on an NFL practice squad. NFL minimum salary is $940,000 for players with two years experience. That is still nearly 5 years worth of XFL pay. If he can not secure a league minimum salary, then I guess you do whatever you can to get back in the NFL. Nobody is giving up $750,000 to get more playing time in the XFL.
That’s fine if you don’t already have a $5 million contract in hand.
Agreed with Larkraxm. Plus Rudolph would probably stink there too.
Thank you Captain Obvious. Tell us something we don’t know.
This is the most obvious reason why teams aren’t offering. They’d have to make cuts just to attempt to outbid Baltimore who is still something like 5M under the cap. The Ravens could apply the same tactics and match to keep him. There were very few teams that could outbid them and that’s gone away. Poison pills aren’t allowed anymore so…teams know they’re not letting him go. The best bet is really next season when they likely don’t tag him.
Until Jackson actually SIGNS his franchise tender all this talk about interested teams is just a lot of hot air. Personally I expect to see Lamar continuing to play hardball with Baltimore – just as he did when purposely scuttling their playoff chances last year – thus I expect Baltimore will end up trading him before the season.
Any team that has a good first rounder this year will wait until after the draft to offer Lamar. Because with Lamar your pick won’t be that high the next two seasons if all things go as planned.
No team is giving Lamar a contract that Baltimore can’t match for one simple reason.
He cant be counted on to get through a full season healthy. Why would any qualify organization handcuff themselves with a fully guaranteed contracts that only made it through 2 full season in the NFL because of injury.
News flash….the Browns already blew thier load on an overrated QB that can’t win when it counts in the NFL.
Could it finally be that teams have seen this movie before – Cam Newton, Vick, once Young, etc- they don’t last long in this league with that style of play. Lamar is a 5yr old used car with 200,000 miles. Avoid
Vince Young
Trade him
If I were the Ravens my negotiations with him would be over. Let him sit out with nothing. I would try to work out anything to be rid of him.
The whole league is suffering from what the Browns did with Watson. That franchise will always be at the bottom. They will never sustain winning ways.
He’s not getting an offer sheet.
No team will make an offer until after the draft – as the uncertainly regarding that process makes throwing picks at Baltimore beforehand and potentially leaving a generational draft opportunity on the table seem pretty foolish.