Ravens 'Regret' Lamar Jackson Signing?
It's not often we see a former league MVP go through a contract saga that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson went through. But that's exactly what happened over the past two years before the sides agreed to a deal the day of the NFL Draft in late-April.
A five-year, $260 million contract with a $52 million per-year-pact made Jackson the highest-paid player in the NFL. However, the 2019 unanimous MVP has dealt with numerous injuries over the past two years, limiting him to just 24 games over that span. And Bleacher Report believes this contract could be detrimental to the future of the Ravens if that recent string continues.
"We're looking at a commitment that could cripple this Baltimore team if Jackson isn't an absolute rockstar in the next half-decade, and that's not something he's been nearly enough in recent years," Bleacher Report writes.
Over the past two seasons, Jackson has tossed just 36 touchdowns while leading the Ravens to a 15-9 mark. Comparatively, he threw for 36 in his MVP-winning campaign, with Baltimore posting a 13-2 record in games he started.
"He may be just 26, but in his last three seasons, Jackson has been a Pro Bowler just once and hasn't been a first- or second-team All-Pro at all," said Bleacher Report. "He's also got a mediocre 92.5 passer rating during that stretch, along with 29 interceptions."
While individual accolades have shown to be up and down, one consistent factor throughout his NFL tenure is reaching the postseason - missing the dance just once over his five seasons. However, a 1-3 record in playoff games - with the only win coming against the Tennessee Titans in 2021 - raises some eyebrows for the 26-year-old.
"Anything short of Super Bowl-level success in the next few years will be reason for the Ravens to regret this gamble," Bleacher Report writes. "And at this stage, I have little reason to expect that from Jackson and a team that will be handcuffed as a result of his contract."
With Jackson locked in for the next half-decade, Baltimore hopes with contract talks behind them, a deep postseason run is in store for 2023.
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