The 2019 league MVP will be one of the most sought-after players in NFL offseason history, be it in free agency or on the trade market. His rookie deal is up, and the Ravens must decide if they're going to extend Jackson, use the franchise tag, trade him or let him walk to free agency. According to a report from Jamison Hensley and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Jackson sought a contract offer that was north of the fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal Deshaun Watson got from the Cleveland Browns:
«Jackson � who has vowed not to speak publicly about his contract since the start of the 2022 regular season � wants a fully guaranteed deal in line with the five-year, $230 million contract the Cleveland Browns gave Deshaun Watson in March. The Ravens, meanwhile, are balking at guaranteeing the full amount, according to team sources. Jackson turned down a five-year, $250 million contract in September that included $133 million guaranteed � far less than Watson's deal, but more than the guaranteed figures awarded to Russell Wilson ($124 million) and Kyler Murray ($103.3 million) last offseason.
According to a source with knowledge of Jackson's contract negotiations, all of his counteroffers to the Ravens last year were for fully guaranteed contracts that exceeded that of Watson
If there is no compromise, the possibility of the Ravens trading Jackson, who in 2019 joined Tom Brady as the only unanimous MVPs in NFL history, has never been more likely. That's assuming another team would be willing to make the necessary commitment, which likely would mean multiple first-round picks to the Ravens and a fully guaranteed deal for Jackson.» Here's how some football fans reacted to the report of Jackson's asking price:
POLL | ||
24 FEVRIER | 84 ANSWERS Lamar Jackson's most recent contract demands are circulating widely on the internet, and the reactions of NFL fans are varied. Does Lamar Jackson deserve a fully-guaranteed contract? | ||
Yes | 35 | 41.7 % |
No | 49 | 58.3 % |
List of polls |