At what point does Lamar Jacksons contract become a problem?

**ThankyouArt!** · 01-21-2022, 11:11 AM

With the Ravens now going into the off season and with some obvious changes that need to be addressed, at what point does Jackson's contract.....or lack of one become an issue for the Ravens? With cap issues and how the Ravens want to move forward does these negotiations become a distraction? How much has Jackson hurt his contract status by not having an agent?

The word is now that Jackson just wants to get healthy to play football.....anybody wonder if Jackson actually wants to remain in Baltimore? Maybe he just wants to play out his rookie contract and go elsewhere?

At what point does the Ravens tell Jackson we have to sign or move on? I think the Ravens are in the driver seat on this, I think unless Jackson comes out and plays lights out in 2022 his contract stock falls. Does he have to ball out just to salvage his career, certainly to salvage his payday . If he has another 2021 season he will be just another "what if" player.........

I am a Jackson fan, however I think he has made a serious judgment error, he should have signed before the 2021 season while the pan was still hot. While he had the upper ground in negotiating. He could then "just focus on football". I believe when all of this is over he will have cost himself millions. I truly believe the Ravens are at a cross road in their team history. Several careers will be effected by Jackson, If Jackson Balls out John Harbaugh gets off the ever changing temperature of his "hot seat", DeCosta's career? Gregg Roman?

The Ravens have to make it to the second or third round of the playoffs next year, although another disastrous season could happen again I would think it is highly unlikely. I think next year is just about....almost........maybe or close to...... "Super Bowl or bust"

**Terpsfan82** · 01-21-2022, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by ThankyouArt!

With the Ravens now going into the off season and with some obvious changes that need to be addressed, at what point does Jackson's contract.....or lack of one become an issue for the Ravens? With cap issues and how the Ravens want to move forward does these negotiations become a distraction? How much has Jackson hurt his contract status by not having an agent?

The word is now that Jackson just wants to get healthy to play football.....anybody wonder if Jackson actually wants to remain in Baltimore? Maybe he just wants to play out his rookie contract and go elsewhere?

At what point does the Ravens tell Jackson we have to sign or move on? I think the Ravens are in the driver seat on this, I think unless Jackson comes out and plays lights out in 2022 his contract stock falls. Does he have to ball out just to salvage his career, certainly to salvage his payday . If he has another 2021 season he will be just another "what if" player.........

I am a Jackson fan, however I think he has made a serious judgment error, he should have signed before the 2021 season while the pan was still hot. While he had the upper ground in negotiating. He could then "just focus on football". I believe when all of this is over he will have cost himself millions. I truly believe the Ravens are at a cross road in their team history. Several careers will be effected by Jackson, If Jackson Balls out John Harbaugh gets off the ever changing temperature of his "hot seat", DeCosta's career? Gregg Roman?

The Ravens have to make it to the second or third round of the playoffs next year, although another disastrous season could happen again I would think it is highly unlikely. I think next year is just about....almost........maybe or close to...... "Super Bowl or bust"

It takes two to tango. Maybe the Ravens wanted to wait before commencing talks. You just never know with these things.

**Ravensblitzkrieg** · 01-21-2022, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by ThankyouArt!

With the Ravens now going into the off season and with some obvious changes that need to be addressed, at what point does Jackson's contract.....or lack of one become an issue for the Ravens? With cap issues and how the Ravens want to move forward does these negotiations become a distraction? How much has Jackson hurt his contract status by not having an agent?

The word is now that Jackson just wants to get healthy to play football.....anybody wonder if Jackson actually wants to remain in Baltimore? Maybe he just wants to play out his rookie contract and go elsewhere?

At what point does the Ravens tell Jackson we have to sign or move on? I think the Ravens are in the driver seat on this, I think unless Jackson comes out and plays lights out in 2022 his contract stock falls. Does he have to ball out just to salvage his career, certainly to salvage his payday . If he has another 2021 season he will be just another "what if" player.........

I am a Jackson fan, however I think he has made a serious judgment error, he should have signed before the 2021 season while the pan was still hot. While he had the upper ground in negotiating. He could then "just focus on football". I believe when all of this is over he will have cost himself millions. I truly believe the Ravens are at a cross road in their team history. Several careers will be effected by Jackson, If Jackson Balls out John Harbaugh gets off the ever changing temperature of his "hot seat", DeCosta's career? Gregg Roman?

The Ravens have to make it to the second or third round of the playoffs next year, although another disastrous season could happen again I would think it is highly unlikely. I think next year is just about....almost........maybe or close to...... "Super Bowl or bust"

Bro Lamar’s payday is already set. He won an mvp, we have a winning record every year with him as a starter. All by age 24.

He could come out and throw 10 picks and 5 TDs and he is still going to get a max payday.

Only a moron GM would let a special talent franchise QB go to draft an unknown QB and go on a 5-10 year period of losing seasons.

But talking to real ravens fans in real life I realize I only read this weird silly narrative on this forum.

All I ask is show me one franchise who has ever done something so stupid.

**Dirt1** · 01-21-2022, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Terpsfan82

It takes two to tango. Maybe the Ravens wanted to wait before commencing talks. You just never know with these things.

The Ravens may be more motivated this off-season to do a contract extension for Lamar to lower his 2022 cap number. Lamar will go from counting $3 million against the cap this season to counting $23 million against the cap next season.

If they won't let Harbaugh be a lame duck HC next season, then they should not let Lamar go into next season without a contract extension as well.

**GOTA** · 01-21-2022, 11:49 AM

2021 was the last cheap year on Jackson's rookie deal. The cap was way down because of COVID. The Ravens had serious cap issues on top of that due to all the replacement players they had to sign from a tremendous amount of injuries. They ended the season with just $300k in cap space. There was no possible way to sign Lamar in 2021 without greatly increasing his cap number. He had a $3 million cap number in 2021. Even a backloaded deal would push that number between $8-$10 million. $300k means that couldn't happen.

For 2022 the 5th year option is around $23 million. The could play that out or save about $13 million which they need by extending Lamar. Expect this offseason to be when this gets done.

**Ravensblitzkrieg** · 01-21-2022, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by GOTA

2021 was the last cheap year on Jackson's rookie deal. The cap was way down because of COVID. The Ravens had serious cap issues on top of that due to all the replacement players they had to sign from a tremendous amount of injuries. They ended the season with just $300k in cap space. There was no possible way to sign Lamar in 2021 without greatly increasing his cap number. He had a $3 million cap number in 2021. Even a backloaded deal would push that number between $8-$10 million. $300k means that couldn't happen.

For 2022 the 5th year option is around $23 million. The could play that out or save about $13 million which they need by extending Lamar. Expect this offseason to be when this gets done.

There is no way in Gods green earth Lamar plays out his 5th year. He would never do anything that crazy.

All we can do now is wait and see the monster contract he signs this off season

**jonboy79** · 01-21-2022, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by ThankyouArt!

With the Ravens now going into the off season and with some obvious changes that need to be addressed, at what point does Jackson's contract.....or lack of one become an issue for the Ravens? With cap issues and how the Ravens want to move forward does these negotiations become a distraction? How much has Jackson hurt his contract status by not having an agent?

The word is now that Jackson just wants to get healthy to play football.....anybody wonder if Jackson actually wants to remain in Baltimore? Maybe he just wants to play out his rookie contract and go elsewhere?

At what point does the Ravens tell Jackson we have to sign or move on? I think the Ravens are in the driver seat on this, I think unless Jackson comes out and plays lights out in 2022 his contract stock falls. Does he have to ball out just to salvage his career, certainly to salvage his payday . If he has another 2021 season he will be just another "what if" player.........

I am a Jackson fan, however I think he has made a serious judgment error, he should have signed before the 2021 season while the pan was still hot. While he had the upper ground in negotiating. He could then "just focus on football". I believe when all of this is over he will have cost himself millions. I truly believe the Ravens are at a cross road in their team history. Several careers will be effected by Jackson, If Jackson Balls out John Harbaugh gets off the ever changing temperature of his "hot seat", DeCosta's career? Gregg Roman?

The Ravens have to make it to the second or third round of the playoffs next year, although another disastrous season could happen again I would think it is highly unlikely. I think next year is just about....almost........maybe or close to...... "Super Bowl or bust"

It takes two to tango. The Ravens didn’t have the cap flexibility to give him a reasonable deal before now. A contract extension prior to the year would have cost Houston, Watkins or perhaps both.

Baltimore is in the driver’s seat thanks to the Franchise Tag.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**GOTA** · 01-21-2022, 12:04 PM

Originally Posted by Ravensblitzkrieg

There is no way in Gods green earth Lamar plays out his 5th year. He would never do anything that crazy.

All we can do now is wait and see the monster contract he signs this off season

He might not have a choice. Lamar has never said a thing about holding out. It's always the opposite. He could always do the Flacco thing and see it as betting on himself and then push his number way off with another MVP year or Super Bowl.

**Bhcforlife** · 01-21-2022, 12:08 PM

I'm not saying they won't sign him long term, I think they probably will sometime this offseason, but if it gets to that point - regarding the 5th year option, Lamar has literally no choice in the matter under the current CBA. He either shows up or he doesn't get an accrued season. There is zero wiggle room to it now. The owners made sure of it in the last CBA. If the Ravens want him to play on it, and again not saying they do, he will play on it.

A player shall not receive an Accrued Season for any League Year in which the player is under contract to a Club and in which (i) he failed to report to the Club's preseason training camp on that player's mandatory reporting date; or (ii) the player thereafter failed to perform his contract services for the Club for a material period of time, unless he demonstrates to the Impartial Arbitrator extreme personal hardship causing such failure to report or perform, such as severe illness or death in the family.

**Terpsfan82** · 01-21-2022, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by Dirt1

The Ravens may be more motivated this off-season to do a contract extension for Lamar to lower his 2022 cap number. Lamar will go from counting $3 million against the cap this season to counting $23 million against the cap next season.

If they won't let Harbaugh be a lame duck HC next season, then they should not let Lamar go into next season without a contract extension as well.

Truth.

**Dirt1** · 01-21-2022, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by Bhcforlife

I'm not saying they won't sign him long term, I think they probably will sometime this offseason, but if it gets to that point - regarding the 5th year option, Lamar has literally no choice in the matter under the current CBA. He either shows up or he doesn't get an accrued season. There is zero wiggle room to it now. The owners made sure of it in the last CBA.

Lamar isn't going to hold out, but he shouldn't be a sucker either. The Ravens will absolutely not give him a big contract extension if he suffers a serious injury this upcoming season. If the Ravens don't extend Lamar this off-season, then Lamar's fifth your option ties up $23 million in 2022 cap space.

After the 2022 season, the Ravens only way of ensuring they retain Lamar would be to franchise tag him. However, the cost of the franchise tag for a QB could be prohibitive, now that Mahomes and Allen have signed their extensions. Not sure what the franchise tag amount would be, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were in the ballpark of $35 million for 2023. Lamar would have tremendous leverage in that situation. I think the Ravens will sign him to an extension this off-season. That would be the smartest thing for both sides to do.

**Bhcforlife** · 01-21-2022, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by Dirt1

Lamar isn't going to hold out, but he shouldn't be a sucker either. The Ravens will absolutely not give him a big contract extension if he suffers a serious injury this upcoming season. If the Ravens don't extend Lamar this off-season, then Lamar's fifth your option ties up $23 million in 2022 cap space.

After the 2022 season, the Ravens only way of ensuring they retain Lamar would be to franchise tag him. However, the cost of the franchise tag for a QB could be prohibitive, now that Mahomes and Allen have signed their extensions. Not sure what the franchise tag amount would be, but I wouldn't be surprised if it were in the ballpark of $35 million for 2023. Lamar would have tremendous leverage in that situation. I think the Ravens will sign him to an extension this off-season. That would be the smartest thing for both sides to do.

It definitely in the best interest of all parties to get the contract done now, and I think it will get done, just might not be until closer to FA, or even after. There's only one comp in our history, Flacco, who they got done around early March. I think they'll get it done. Plenty of reason for both sides to want to have it done with.