(Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Quarterback Lamar Jackson received the Baltimore Ravens‘ non-exclusive franchise tag on Tuesday, which means he will remain with the team but can negotiate a new contract with any team he chooses.
He has reportedly been demanding a deal that would pay him around $50 million a year and would be fully guaranteed, but both sides haven’t been able to come close to an agreement.
Some feel this could be the beginning of the end of Jackson’s days in Baltimore.
Former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum feels there is a way to mend that relationship and come to terms with Jackson on a new deal.
Mike Tannenbaum (@RealTannenbaum) explains how he’d go about making things right with Lamar Jackson if he were the #Ravens.
For Mike’s full appearance: https://t.co/WWaIBESMnA pic.twitter.com/5jZQMgRr7T
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) March 8, 2023
“‘Hey look Lamar, we’re not letting you go,’” Tannenbaum said he would tell the QB. “‘You mean too much to us. We put substantial offers on the table.’ I know that from talking to people around the league. They clearly want him, and what they need to do is say, ‘Those crazy people in Cleveland — it’s one deal. I could show you 20 other deals, that our deal reflects the marketplace.
Jackson represents the difference between hope and starting over for the Ravens, who have made the playoffs in four of his five seasons with the team.
He won the league MVP award in 2019 after leading Baltimore to a 14-2 record and throwing for 3,127 yards and 36 touchdowns, in addition to 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.
However, his production has fallen off ever since that season.
There are questions about Jackson’s durability, given that he has missed five games in both of the last two seasons and given that he is a dual-threat QB.
In addition, the type of deal he has been demanding would make it very difficult for the team to go out and make upgrades throughout its roster.
The Ravens ranked just 28th in passing yards in 2022 and had no wide receivers who reached 500 receiving yards.
Adding a bona fide threat at that position could allow Jackson to up his passing numbers to a level closer to his 2019 production.
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