For now, Lamar Jackson will be a Baltimore Raven in 2023.
The Ravens have, of course, slapped the non-exclusive franchise tag on the star quarterback. Barring a trade or unprecedented contract offer from a suitor, Jackson is locked in Baltimore’s purple and black uniforms for the time being. It’s a situation the Ravens should undoubtedly be far more embarrassed about.
On the second day of NFL free agency, a report on Jackson’s contract negotiations from ESPN’s Adam Schefter surfaced. It stated that Baltimore had actually offered its talisman signal caller a contract with $200 million guaranteed.
In response, Jackson took to Twitter with a GIF that featured a man wearing a comical number of “caps.” In other words, Jackson was saying the report was a lie, most likely from a Ravens source:
https://t.co/AKf0w3WUXS pic.twitter.com/NigoviFOY6
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) March 14, 2023
Jackson, who represents himself, would follow up and note a vital contradiction. He seems to have shared a contract the Ravens really offered him, and it’s considerably less than other reported tidbits:
133/3years fully guaranteed😒 but I need a agent? 🤣🤦🏾♂️
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) March 14, 2023
Hmm. I wonder who’s telling the truth here?
The former MVP quarterback (who is still only 26!) unhappy with a franchise tag designation? Or is it the organization trying to win a PR battle that obviously doesn’t want to set a precedent of beyond-lucrative contracts?
It’s such a tricky question to answer, but … I’m gonna go with Jackson. Call it a hunch.
