Ravens Fail to Reach Extension With Lamar Jackson: Direct Impact for Steelers
PITTSBURGH -- Lamar Jackson had been locked in contract negotiations with the Baltimore Ravens throughout this summer. This week, he drew a hard deadline for when he would cease talking about money and focus on the coming season. That deadline has come and gone and the Pittsburgh Steelers' most bitter rival was unable to come to terms with their star quarterback.
"Despite best efforts on both sides, we were unable to reach a contract extension with Lamar Jackson," General Manager Eric DeCosta said in a statement. "We greatly appreciate how he has handled this process and we are excited about our team with Lamar leading the way. We will continue to work towards a long-term contract after the season, but for now we are looking forward to a successful 2022 campaign."
Jackson's contract is up at the conclusion of this regular season and the former league MVP will certainly command a lucrative deal on par with what fellow franchise signal-callers Deshaun Watson, Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray signed this offseason.
Guaranteed money is reportedly a sticking point for the two sides. Watson, Wilson and Murray all signed deals worth north of $200 million at full value but Watson's money is fully guaranteed. It's unclear how much guarunteed money Jackson is seeking.
The Ravens' loss is the Steelers' gain. Anything that puts Jackson at odds with his team is good for their rivals and this latest development makes it more likely that one of the best players in the AFC North seeks a new home in free agency next spring.
For now, the Steelers are still stuck having to face Jackson twice a season, but that might not be the worst thing in the world. They've typically done a masterful job of defending his electric mobility and capable arm.
In five career games against the Steelers, Jackson owns a losing record and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of four to six. His passer rating takes a dramatic dive from its total career average of 98.1 to 67.4 against Pittsburgh. The same goes for his yards per passing attempt and yards per rush. Six of his 37 career fumbles have been forced by Steeler defenders.
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