Lamar Jackson turned down Baltimore Ravens contract offer believed to be worth around $250 million, sources say
In spite of Lamar Jackson and Baltimore Raven Having kept the details of their contract negotiations private, the star defender has turned down what league sources believe is an offer worth around $250 million.
The Ravens also balked at Jackson’s desire for a fully guaranteed deal similar to Deshaun Watson‘s, sources told ESPN, making the parties negotiating contract table until after the 2022 season.
Sources told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen that the Ravens have proposed a six-year contract that is supposed to pay Jackson a higher average salary and a more guaranteed amount than the contracts signed this summer. Broncos midfielder Russell Wilson and Amount midfielder Kyler Murray.
Wilson signed a $242.5 million deal earlier this month averaging $48.5 million annually and including $161 million guaranteed, about six weeks later Murray receives $230.5 million contract averages $46 million per year and includes $189.5 million guaranteed.
But the problem for Jackson is not Wilson’s or Murray’s deal but Watson’s, according to sources. The Brown Has signed with Watson a fully guaranteed $230 million contract and Jackson wants to match it, the sources said.
Sources told Mortensen the Ravens’ offer included $133 million fully guaranteed at signing, a figure also higher than Wilson ($124 million) and Murray ($103.3 million). dollars) but also less than Watson’s $230 million.
Jackson acted as his own agent in the negotiations while relying on the help of his mother and the NFL Players Association, whose job it was to provide statistics, information, guidance. and become a board of directors, that is throughout the process.
The union has advised Jackson, 25, that based on his performance and age he has reason to ask for a fully guaranteed contract if that’s what he wants, sources told Mortensen . Union sources suggested that the Ravens’ talk with Jackson was “in good faith,” even though the team included $2.5 million in annual escalator reduction provisions if Jackson didn’t join one. high rate of off-season exercises.
As Raven didn’t want Jackson’s full reassurance, the Ravens announced Friday that the two sides would stop negotiating contracts and would resume after this season.
Jackson will make $23.016 million in his fifth-year pick but there’s no guaranteed money after this season. The former league MVP hopes to renew his post-season contract with Raven, who are expected to apply their franchise tag on Jackson and prevent him from hitting the company with real freestyle if The parties are still unable to reach an agreement.
Jackson is placing the biggest bet in football on himself, similar to what the former Ravens defender did Joe Flacco – who will start against Baltimore on Sunday for Jet plane — did in the 2012 season, when his contract was about to expire and he led Baltimore to a Super Bowl title before becoming one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.
Jackson, who has received more hits (737) than any other quarterback since 2018, was asked last week if he felt it was risky to play without a guarantee off-season. this award or not.
“It was a pretty big risk last season. Last year,” Jackson said Wednesday. “I’m just playing football. Anything can happen. God forbid the wrong thing to happen.”
Jackson has proven to be one of the NFL’s top players and winners over the past four seasons. Since he became the Ravens’ starter midway through the 2018 season, Baltimore is 37-12 (0.755) with him and 2-5 (0.286) without him. He was the NFL’s unanimous MVP in 2019.
But Jackson is experiencing his most challenging season yet in 2021, as he throws 13 of the worst interceptions of his career and misses five top career games, including the last four. because of an ankle injury.
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley contributed to this report.
