Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Seeking Fully Guaranteed Deal?
Kyler Murray landed a contract that, in terms of average annual value, eclipses Deshaun Watson‘s. At five years and $230.5MM, it is easy to see how Murray’s camp used Watson’s deal to benefit the former No. 1 overall pick. But Murray’s contract, lacking the unique circumstances that drove the Browns into historic financial territory for Watson, is not fully guaranteed.
While over half of Murray’s contract is not guaranteed at signing, the $103.3MM in full guarantees rank second in the NFL to Watson’s $230MM. Lamar Jackson may not be willing to make a Murray-like compromise on guarantees. The Ravens quarterback is believed to want a fully guaranteed extension worth more than what the Browns are paying Watson, Jason Cole of Outkick.com notes.
Extension-eligible since January 2021, Jackson has certainly not made an extension a priority on the level Murray did. The Cardinals quarterback aimed at a pre-Year 4 deal. Jackson is going into his fifth season, and the Ravens’ top three decision-makers — Steve Bisciotti, John Harbaugh and GM Eric DeCosta — have said publicly the former MVP was not actively pursuing an offseason extension. Momentum toward an extension has appeared to pick up since Jackson showed for minicamp, however. If Jackson is pursuing a Watson-structured deal, he likely will begin this season playing on his fifth-year option ($23MM).
[RELATED: How Will Ravens’ Jackson Negotiations End?]
Watson was able to secure his historically player-friendly structure due to the four-team bidding war — trimmed to four by Texans GM Nick Caserio — commencing in March. The Browns being on the verge of losing the battle prompted them to offer the monster contract. With the Ravens having exclusive negotiating rights with Jackson potentially until 2025 — via the two-franchise tag arrangement, a Kirk Cousins-esque scenario Bisciotti referenced earlier this year — he would not be in the same kind of position to secure such a deal. Even if Jackson has shown more than Watson, he does not have that kind of leverage.
It would cost the Ravens close to $40MM to tag Jackson next year. Although Cousins, Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan had $40MM-plus cap numbers entering March, their respective teams adjusted those figures — the Falcons by trading their QB — to avoid those cap-clogging totals. No player enters this season with a cap number higher than $39MM. Only four players have $30MM-plus cap hits. If Jackson plays a second season on the tag, his cap figure would come in around $48MM, Cole adds. While that would be a record, the salary cap’s rise will lead to $40MM-plus figures becoming more common in the near future. Watson’s fully guaranteed contract will bring cap numbers north of $54MM from 2023-26.
Still, the Ravens seeing Jackson’s cap hold spike from $23MM to around $40MM will make for more challenging roster building come 2023. That represents some leverage for the three-time Pro Bowler. Jackson’s star power notwithstanding, it is difficult to foresee Baltimore agreeing to such a deal. Jackson’s rushing volume (615 carries through four seasons — 148 more than any other QB through four years) potentially shortening his career is a component that is surely factoring into these negotiations on the Ravens’ side. He has also gone from first in QBR (2019) to seventh to 17th over the past three seasons. An uncertain wide receiver situation this year may challenge Jackson more — as both a passer and a runner, with the Ravens not exactly planning to deviate from their ground-oriented attack.
Jackson, 25, continues to represent himself, with the NFLPA providing counsel. He is not planning to negotiate with the Ravens during the season. Finality, for 2022 at least, is approaching in this situation.
Ravens Notes: OL, Edwards, WR Search
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh recently stated that the injury suffered by rookie center Tyler Linderbaum wasn’t expected to be serious. After further testing, that outlook remains the same, though there have been conflicting reports on the nature of the injury.
Earlier this week, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo indicated that the foot ailment is a Lisfranc injury (video link). That would be particularly relevant in Linderbaum’s case, as he played through the same injury in college. Rapoport added that this latest issue was a “reoccurrence” of the injury suffered during the first-rounder’s time at Iowa, but that it was a sprain, rather than a rupture, leading to further belief in the original one-to-two week recovery timeline.
However, Harbaugh disputed that reporting, instead stating that Linderbaum suffered a soft-tissue injury. “It’s a different ligament,” Harbaugh said, via the Baltimore Sun’s Jonas Shaffer. “So he’s had the Lisfranc before. There’s no separation. There’s no Lisfranc sprain, per se.” He nevertheless confirmed that the issue is “not serious,” so Linderbaum is still expected to be available for Week 1 of the regular season, where he is penciled in as the team’s starting center.
Here are some other notes from Charm City:
- A couple of the Ravens’ wideouts are also banged up. Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic tweets that James Proche could be out for “a few weeks” due to a soft tissue injury of his own. In addition, Tylan Wallace sprained his knee during last night’s preseason game. Slated to hold the third and fourth positions on the WR depth chart, respectively, any significant absence from either player would weaken what could already be the thinnest position group on Baltimore’s roster. As Zrebiec adds, the team “may have no choice now” but to add a veteran still on the open market.
- The team appears to be on track to get RB J.K. Dobbins back to full health in time for the regular season, but the outlook isn’t as good for his backup. Per Zrebiec, Gus Edwards is “considered a long shot” to be available for Week 1. Both backs missed all of last season due to knee injuries, and their return will prove crucial to the team’s rushing attack. Edwards has two years remaining on his current contract, with cap hits of $4.5MM and $5.6MM this year and next.
- The one spot which has been undecided throughout the offseason along the offensive line is left guard. Ben Powers remains in the lead for the starting spot, reports ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. His consistency currently places him ahead of Tyre Phillips, who is seen as having more upside but has missed significant time during each of his first two seasons. With the top two spots likely going to Powers and Phillips, 2021 third-rounder Ben Cleveland (who missed the first week of training camp due to a failed conditioning test) is now a “long shot” to make the roster.
Ravens Activate RB J.K. Dobbins, Sign CB Daryl Worley
For the first time in nearly a year, J.K. Dobbins is back with the Ravens at practice. The team took its starting running back off the active/PUP list Monday.
Suffering a torn ACL and sustaining LCL and meniscus damage during the team’s final preseason game last year, Dobbins has not played since his rookie season. Monday’s news does not necessarily mean Dobbins will be in uniform when the Ravens open up their regular season, but it obviously helps open the door to that reality. The third-year back can begin ramping up in full toward debuting with his teammates in Week 1.
The Ravens also signed cornerback Daryl Worley, who worked out with the team over the weekend, and moved linebacker Vince Biegel on IR. This marks somewhat of a reunion for Worley, who finished last season with the Ravens. The veteran cover man, however, played in just one game with the 2021 Ravens. He has played for five other teams over the course of a six-year career.
Dobbins became a key presence as a rookie, averaging six yards per carry and rushing for nine touchdowns. He did this largely as a reserve, starting just one game as part of a deep backfield. The Ohio State product will be brought along slowly ahead of the regular season.
The knee injuries suffered by Dobbins and Gus Edwards threw Baltimore’s backfield into disarray last season. No Ravens running back topped 600 yards in 2021. Veterans Latavius Murray and Devonta Freeman led the way, each clearing the 500-yard mark as part of a committee composed of late free agency additions. Le’Veon Bell was also briefly part of this coalition, as was Ty’Son Williams. None of these players are with Baltimore this year.
The Ravens still face significant questions about their backfield ahead of Week 1, due also to Edwards remaining on the active/PUP list. Teams have until August 23 to move players off the active/PUP list. Doing so avoids a player being shut down for the season’s first four games. Like Dobbins, Edwards is finishing up ACL recovery. Veteran Mike Davis and sixth-round rookie Tyler Badie are now part of the team’s backfield equation.
Despite his nomadic NFL run, Worley is still just 27. He worked as a primary starter for the Panthers and Raiders from 2016-19 but has been more of a depth piece since. The former third-round pick was with the Bills, Cowboys and Lions prior to catching on with the Ravens to close last season.
Biegel suffered a torn ACL last week. The Ravens had signed him in May. This represents another bad late-20s break for Biegel. The 29-year-old defender missed the 2020 season because of an Achilles tear. The former starter recovered to return as a Dolphins backup last season, yo-yoing on and off Miami’s practice squad.
Ravens Extend K Justin Tucker
The Ravens have enjoyed historic levels of success in the kicking game for the past decade, and will likely be able to do so for many years into the future. The team announced on Monday an agreement with Justin Tucker on a four-year extension.
One week ago, Chris Boswell signed an extension with the Steelers. At a rate of $5MM per season, that deal placed him into a tie with Tucker atop the list of the league’s highest-paid kickers. The latter’s new deal, as expected, has moved him back into the lead; ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that the deal includes $24MM in new money (for an AAV of $6MM), along with $17.5MM in guarantees and a signing bonus of $11.5MM.
The 32-year-old had two years remaining on his current deal, an extension signed in 2019. That contract was also four years in length, and carried a record-setting value of $5MM per season. Tucker was due $3.5MM in each of the next two years, but his scheduled cap hits were just under $6MM over that span.
After joining the team as a UDFA in 2012, the Texas alum won the starting job and has put together a decorated career since. A member of that year’s Super Bowl-wining team, he has been named a Pro Bowler and first-team All-Pro five times each, and was a member of the 2010s All-Decade Team.
Tucker remains the most accurate kicker in NFL history, with a career mark of over 91%. Last season, he added to his collection of all-time records with a 66-yard field goal against the Lions. His success (and, perhaps to an extent, recent developments in the kicking world) has spurred another lucrative new deal.
With Tucker now on the books through 2027, the Ravens have even more certainty with respect to the league’s most decorated player at his position. The team entered the day with less than $8MM in cap space, so this deal may create some added wiggle room. In any event, Tucker’s long-term future is secure.
NFL Workout Updates: 8/7/22
Here’s a look at some of the notable workouts from around the league this weekend:
- The Colts auditioned four linebackers this weekend, bringing in Aaron Hansford, Justin Hilliard, Dorian O’Daniel, and Kadofi Wright, according to Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star. This is likely a search for camp bodies and shouldn’t say much as to Darius Leonard‘s availability for the regular season.
- The Ravens worked out defensive backs Ken Crawley, Darryl Roberts, and Daryl Worley this weekend, according to ESPN’s Field Yates. Worley actually spent the end of last season on Baltimore’s practice squad, so he has some familiarity with the system. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Ravens bring in some bodies to play more snaps in the preseason after watching multiple players go down with season-ending injuries before the season even began last year.
- The Dolphins spent their weekend trying out centers Cohl Cabral, Jake Lacina, and Cole Toner, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. Miami has been adamant about bringing in center competition for last year’s starter, Michael Deiter, but has ended up shifting former Cowboys tackle Connor Williams to the position. Even with Williams taking the starting role, Deiter is still dealing with a foot injury. The Dolphins may be looking to add some depth to shoulder the load for the rest of the preseason.
- The Chiefs, who recently signed former USFL wide receiver Devin Gray, also worked out receivers Matt Cole and Damion Willis., according to Wilson. Willis was an undrafted free agent in 2019 who started for the Bengals in Week 1 of his rookie season in place of an injured A.J. Green. He finished that season with 9 catches for 82 yards and has been bouncing around practice squads ever since.
Injury Rumors: Evans, Pringle, Linderbaum, Savage, McKethan
As practices start to ramp up leading into the preseason, injuries are starting to rear their ugly heads. Here are a few rumors on injuries we’ve seen so far:
- It appears that Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has suffered a minor hamstring injury, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN. Laine reports that, despite a history of nagging hamstring issues, this minor injury will be no threat to Evans’ Week 1 status. Hamstring injuries caused Evans to miss a game last season and forced him to injured reserve in Week 14 of the 2019 season. Evans has shown incredible resiliency, as the 13 games played in 2019 were the least he’s ever played in a season. He’s had a strong history of never letting injuries keep him out for long and never keeping him from reaching the 1,000-yard receiving mark.
- Wide receiver Byron Pringle joined the Bears after a bit of a breakout season with the Chiefs last year. Chicago head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters that, unfortunately, Pringle’s debut with the Bears may be a little delayed, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. The fourth-year receiver out of Kansas State suffered a quad injury that Eberflus says will cause him to “be out for some time.” Pringle’s only history with injuries in the NFL came two years ago when he spent three weeks on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
- One of the Ravens’ two first-round picks, center Tyler Linderbaum suffered a lower leg injury this week that should hold him out for a short time, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. “It’s not a serious thing,” head coach John Harbaugh explained after Friday’s practice. “It’s going to be probably at least a week…It could be two weeks. We’ll see.” Linderbaum, the first ever center that Baltimore has utilized a first-round pick on, is expected to take the starting job as a rookie and will play a large role in a comeback season for a Ravens team that saw their 2020 season derailed by a litany of season-ending injuries.
- While trying to cover wide receiver Amari Rodgers in one-on-ones yesterday, Packers safety Darnell Savage suffered a hamstring injury and was forced to sit out the rest of practice, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Savage downplayed the severity of the injury when talking to reporters. “I don’t think it’s a concern,” Savage said. “It’s a fast-people injury. Some of those things you can’t avoid. I’ll just handle it the right way…and I’ll be alright.”
- Giants fifth-round pick Marcus McKethan suffered an ACL injury yesterday and will be out for his entire rookie season, according to Field Yates of ESPN. The offensive guard out of North Carolina was a reserve depth piece on New York’s line and was not expected to have much of an impact during his first NFL season, but a season-ending injury to any of a team’s players is never good news.
Ravens DL Calais Campbell Hints At Retirement After 2022
After flirting with the idea of retirement late last season, Ravens defensive lineman Calais Campbell decided to return for a 15th season back in April. This season, the 35-year-old didn’t wait for the end of the year to start up the retirement talk once again, according to Nick Shook of NFL Network. 
“I know I’ve got this year in me,” Campbell said about his future in the league. “I don’t know if there’s anything left after that, but I’m going to leave it all on the field. Empty the tank. And when it’s all said and done, after this year, I’ll reconvene in the offseason to see where I’m at.
“But, right now, I’m preparing like this is my last year. So, I’m going to give it everything I have.”
The six-time Pro Bowler, 2017 All-Pro, 2019 Walter Payton Man of the Year, and second-place finisher for the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year award has seen much of his success come as a veteran. Through his first six years in the league with the Cardinals, Campbell totaled a not unimpressive 36.5 sacks, 63.0 tackles for loss, and 72 quarterback hits. But his next six seasons (three in Arizona and three in Jacksonville) saw him rack up 51.5 sacks, 88.0 tackles for loss, and 129 quarterback hits, along with all the accolades at the top of the paragraph, minus one Pro Bowl earned in 2020.
None of this to diminish his early success in the NFL, the point to draw from those statistics is that age is just a number to Campbell. He has seen his returns diminish a bit over his two years in Baltimore, but Campbell refuses to disappear. Campbell showed flashes of his usual brilliance in Week 6 of 2020, when he won AFC Defensive Player of the Week for recording 4.0 tackles for loss, four quarterback hits, and 3.0 sacks on then-Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, and in Week 5 of 2021 when he fueled a Ravens’ comeback victory by blocking a Rodrigo Blankenship field goal attempt while down eight points late in the fourth quarter.
If we’re to take Campbell’s words seriously, that he plans to “empty the tank,” there’s no reason to believe he can’t reach the levels of success he saw that helped to birth the moniker of “Sacksonville” during his time with the Jaguars. We’ve seen Campbell record a career-high 14.5 sacks at the age of 31. We’ve seen him make the Pro Bowl at the age of 34.
Campbell will turn 36 just before the start of the 2022 NFL season. As the oldest defensive lineman on an NFL roster, he’ll begin the first year of the two-year deal that brought him back to Baltimore. Campbell isn’t focused on finishing that contract, though. Many players are encouraged to play each snap as if it’s their last. Campbell will have the rare opportunity to take that saying literally.
Ravens Notes: Biegel, Linderbaum, Ojabo, Roster Bubble
Vince Biegel‘s season has ended before it even started. The Ravens linebacker suffered a torn Achilles on Thursday and will miss the 2022 season, per the team’s website.
The linebacker has bounced around the NFL during his four years in the league, spending time with the Packers, Saints, and Dolphins. Following a 2020 season where he compiled 59 tackles and 2.5 sacks in a career-high 15 games (10 starts) with the Dolphins, he was limited to only two tackles in five contests with Miami in 2021. He caught on with the Ravens this offseason, and according to Ryan Mink of the team website, Biegel had made a strong impression during the first few days of camp.
“Vince was fighting to make the team,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He would have had a great chance to make it, because he’s just a solid, tough, talented guy who does everything exactly right as hard as he can.”
The Ravens were already eyeing a depleted linebackers depth chart with Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo sidelined. The team’s current options consist of Odafe Oweh, Justin Houston, Daelin Hayes, Steven Means, and a handful of rookies.
More notes out of Baltimore:
- Fortunately, there was some good news on the Ravens’ injury front. While first-round rookie center Tyler Linderbaum limped off the field during practice, an X-ray confirmed he avoided a major injury. “He’s going to be fine,” Harbaugh said (via Mink). “Didn’t get stepped on, kind of just … It’s a physical drill there, and [he] came up a little sore. They’ve looked at it, X-rayed it. They’ll do an MRI on it to make sure, but all indications are it’s nothing serious at all.” Beside the rookie, the Ravens have veteran Patrick Mekari to step in at center.
- We previously heard that Ojabo’s brief holdout was an attempt to get more guaranteed money in the third year of his rookie contract. According to ESPN’s Field Yates (on Twitter), the rookie ended up getting $700K of that 2024 base salary guaranteed. As our own Ely Allen previously pointed out, the player selected just before Ojabo at 44th overall is John Metchie III, who received $800,000 (55.61%) of his third year guaranteed. The pick immediately after Ojabo at 46th overall is Joshua Paschal, whose guaranteed third-year money dropped dramatically to $275,000 (22.02%).
- Guard Ben Powers could find himself on the trade block depending on the status of Ben Cleveland and Tyre Phillips, writes Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Powers has 19 career starts, so he’d surely appeal to a squad seeking some guard depth. Meanwhile, Zrebiec writes that running back Mike Davis could be fighting with Tyler Badie and Justice Hill for two open roster spots. The veteran was brought in this offseason to provide some depth while J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards return to full health, but he may not be needed if the duo is ready for the start of the season.
- In a stock report of Baltimore’s minicamp, Zrebiec provides a handful of interesting tidbits related to the Ravens. Fourth-round rookie Isaiah Likely will find himself behind Mark Andrews on the depth chart, but he also “seems close to certain to have a notable Week 1 role with the Ravens.” Meanwhile, versatile defensive back Brandon Stephens has been preparing to play cornerback after starting 11 games at safety last season.
- The Ravens’ other fourth-round rookie tight end, Charlie Kolar, had sports hernia surgery earlier this week, per Zrebiec. “It’s a thing that was lingering from college,” Harbaugh said. “He actually had a sports hernia from college, had a surgery. They’re going to redo that one as well. We’ll get it cleaned up now. I think he felt like he could manage it, but it’s gotten to the point where it needs to be fixed.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/3/22
Today’s minor moves
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: WR Trevon Clark
Carolina Panthers
- Reverted to IR: WR Andrew Parchment
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: WR Daylen Baldwin
- Waived: S Nate Meadors
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Max Borghi
- Placed on IR: RB Damarea Crockett, WR Tim Patrick (story)
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Maurice Alexander
- Waived/injured: RB Greg Bell
Houston Texans
- Signed: LS Harrison Elliott
- Activated from PUP: DB Tristin McCollum
- Waived-injured: WR Davion Davis
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: WR D.J. Montgomery
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: G Beau Benzschawel
- Waived/injured: G Jared Hocker
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from NFI: DB Elijah Campbell
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: TE Brandon Dillon
New York Giants
- Placed on exempt/left squad: OT Matt Gono*
New York Jets
- Activated from NFI: RB Tevin Coleman, TE Jeremy Ruckert
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from PUP: TE Richard Rodgers
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: RB Master Teague
- Placed on IR: RB Jeremy McNichols
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DB Terrell Bonds, OL Willie Wright
- Waived/injured: DB Chris Williamson
- Placed on IR: C Daniel Munyer
Washington Commanders
- Signed: CB De’Vante Bausby
- Waived/injured: LB Drew White
*Per Dan Duggan of The Athletic (on Twitter), Gono has left the squad due to an undisclosed physical issue. The lineman will meet with a doctor tomorrow, which should provide some clarity.
Ravens Sign Second-Round LB David Ojabo
The Ravens have finally wrapped up their draft class. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (on Twitter) that Baltimore has inked linebacker David Ojabo to his rookie pact. Ojabo is the last 2022 draft pick to sign his rookie contract.
[RELATED: Info On David Ojabo’s Holdout]
After sitting out his entire freshman year and collecting one tackle in six games during his sophomore campaign, the Michigan product had a breakout season in 2022. In 13 games, Ojabo compiled 35 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 11 sacks. The linebacker suffered a torn Achilles during his Pro Day, but despite the injury, the Ravens still selected him in the second round (No. 45) of the 2022 draft.
Ojabo remained unsigned through the start of training camp, forcing him to stage a holdout as he pursued guaranteed money on the third year of his contract. It will be interesting to see who prevailed in that stare down, but today’s signing will allow the Ravens to proceed with other transactions. Since the linebacker is likely to be sidelined for most (if not all) of his rookie season, he’ll likely be placed on Baltimore’s non-football injury list in the coming days.
The Ravens now have their entire 2022 draft class under contract:
Round 1: No. 14 Kyle Hamilton, S (Notre Dame) (signed)
Round 1: No. 25 (from Bills) Tyler Linderbaum, C (Iowa) (signed)
Round 2: No. 45 David Ojabo, OLB (Michigan) (signed)
Round 3: No. 76 Travis Jones, NT (Connecticut) (signed)
Round 4: No. 110 (from Giants) Daniel Faalele, OT (Minnesota) (signed)
Round 4: No. 119 Jayln Armour-Davis, CB (Alabama) (signed)
Round 4: No. 128 (from Cardinals) Charlie Kolar, TE (Iowa State) (signed)
Round 4: No. 130 (from Bills) Jordan Stout, P (Penn State) (signed)
Round 4: No. 139 Isaiah Likely, TE (Coastal Carolina) (signed)
Round 4: No. 141 Damarion Williams, CB (Houston) (signed)
Round 6: No. 196 (from Dolphins) Tyler Badie, RB (Missouri) (signed)