(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
The Baltimore Ravens continue to lowball Lamar Jackson.
It became evident that they had no business making the playoffs without him, as their offense was stagnant and dull, and they had absolutely no chance of going deep in the postseason without him.
Nonetheless, that wasn’t enough for them to realize how much they needed him and take their offer up a notch.
According to the latest reports, Jackson turned down a five-year deal worth $250 million, but just $133 million of that was fully guaranteed.
So, while the market value was right on point, the guaranteed money was far less than what Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray, and Russell Wilson got.
That’s why ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith believes Jackson is right to feel insulted by the Ravens’ offer and called them out for lowballing him instead of offering him a standard deal for a player of his caliber:
“There is no excuse for the Baltimore Ravens to offer Lamar Jackson $133 million in guaranteed dollars,” Smith said. “That is criminal; they have no business doing that, that’s incredibly insulting, and I don’t blame him for feeling insulted.”
.@stephenasmith weighs in on Lamar Jackson and the Ravens:
“I think that’s fair that he gets more guaranteed dollars than a Kyler Murray or even a Russell Wilson.” pic.twitter.com/fuF7hOLgra
— First Take (@FirstTake) February 21, 2023
However, Smith did point out that Jackson has missed some time with injuries in the past, which is why he wouldn’t give him a fully guaranteed deal either.
To be fair, the Ravens should be concerned about Jackson’s durability.
But they cannot look at the current picture around the league and make him an offer that’s not suited to his talent and impact, as he’s not to blame for how much the quarterback market has blown up over the past couple of years.
Jackson has earned his money, so they might as well just cave in and pay the man.
They need him more than he needs them.
The post Stephen A. Smith Gives His Opinion On Lamar Jackson’s Contract Situation appeared first on The Cold Wire.
