Lamar Jackson is a 26-year-old former MVP. He does not have a long term contract.
These are not two sentences that should go together. Patrick Mahomes won his MVP at age 23, then signed a $500 million deal two years later. Josh Allen emerged as an All-Pro in 2020 and had a $258 million, six-year extension the following offseason. In a league where quarterback play rules all, Jackson’s availability is curious, to say the least.
The Baltimore Ravens have him locked in for 2023 on a non-exclusive franchise tag. That will pay him a guaranteed $32.4 million this season, but it also allows other teams to offer him a more lucrative contract. Baltimore has the right to match that deal, but turning it down would compel the signing team to ship two first round picks the Ravens way. That’s a steep cost, but less expensive than recent deals for Russell Wilson or Matthew Stafford.
Despite this, it’s been a quiet market for Jackson’s services. A solid draft class of young quarterbacks and available veterans like Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo and Aaron Rodgers has dulled his luster. But there’s much more at play here than just an impasse between a player who wants a megadeal and a team that isn’t quite sure he’s worth it. Unpacking this standoff — and the weirdness that’s come to surround it — covers years.