Ravens Have 'Tried Every Different Way' to Sign Lamar Jackson, But Still Short
The contract drama surrounding quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens experienced a new twist Tuesday.
Jackson, the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 2019, disputed a claim made by ESPN that said he turned down a contract featuring $200 million in guaranteed money. Instead, he revealed on Twitter that it was a three-year, $133 million fully guaranteed deal.
The offer Jackson declined would've netted over $44 million annually, but he opted to play on the franchise tag - with the non-exclusive tag set to pay him a guaranteed $32.41 million next season.
It's rare for players to publicly speak about the terms of their contract offers, but Jackson's unique situation as his own agent bends those boundaries, if only slightly.
According to NFL Network, Jackson has "pulled back the curtain" - which reveals that Baltimore has put forth an immense effort to retain the 2018 first-round pick's services but evidently hasn't done enough.
"It has been pretty obvious the Ravens have tried every different way to try to get this contract done," Rapoport said. "Long, short, lot of guarantees, not as much guarantee but high APYs (average per year)."
Jackson took a dig at those doubting his ability to represent himself, questioning, "but I need a(n) agent?"
NFL Network added that he's always advised to have an agent - but it's clear that Jackson doesn't feel similarly.
As such, Baltimore's talks with Jackson appear to have reached a new level of tension ... and with other teams being free to speak with him starting Wednesday, the uncertainty surrounding the overall situation may have done the same.
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