NFL Insider Explains A Problem In Pursuing Lamar Jackson

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The Baltimore Ravens have recently placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Lamar Jackson.

This was just a temporary situation for the two parties after being unable to reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension.

If another team wants to pursue Jackson, they can certainly do so, although, as Ian Rapoport explains, it is a complicated situation.

Complicating factor: If a team signs Lamar Jackson to an offer sheet, Baltimore has five days to match. That knocks that team essentially out of free agency and loses them the other available QBs — because they are paralyzed in cap space just waiting. Not impossible. But hard. https://t.co/t6NNufNqey

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 9, 2023

The non-exclusive tag allows other teams to make an offer to Jackson, as he is not necessarily tied to the Ravens.

However, as Rapoport highlights, the Ravens have five days to match an offer that is proposed by another team.

As a result, the offering team’s cap dollars sit in limbo, as they wait on Baltimore’s decision.

Will this hinder another team from making an offer to Jackson?

If this happened, Jackson would be the first quarterback in NFL history to be signed to a new team after being franchise tagged.

He won the league MVP award in 2019, and the Ravens hold an impressive 45-16 record with him as their starter.

While Jackson has proven himself to be a worthy NFL starter, up to this point, he hasn’t been signed to a contract extension.

This has caused many around the league to wonder what the issue is, and why the Ravens haven’t signed him to a deal.

Jackson and the Ravens have made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons.

Could his 1-3 playoff record have something to do with it?

The rest of the offseason should provide more clarity into this puzzling situation.

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