After five seasons, four playoff berths, two Pro Bowl selections, and one (historic) unanimous MVP Award — it appears the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson might be headed for an unceremonious divorce.
At Tuesday’s deadline to franchise tag NFL players, the Ravens applied one to Jackson. But it wasn’t the typical “exclusive” variety many of us are accustomed to. No, instead, Baltimore reportedly used a non-exclusive distinction on the talisman quarterback.
Here’s what that important label means.
Prospective teams wanting Jackson can now send in lucrative contract offers. If the Ravens match another organization’s terms, that is the deal Jackson receives and plays on with Baltimore for the foreseeable future. If the Ravens don’t match, Jackson heads to that team while the Ravens receive two first-round picks. And that’s all they wrote in this chapter.
Given the distinction of financial terms in play, this is NOT a trade.
Any team that potentially gets Jackson into the fold is essentially signing him to the contract they want while then surrendering draft picks. They don’t have to give up any other assets. It’s confusing, I know, but … still not a trade!
Let’s break down a short list of realistic teams who could send unmatchable Jackson contract offers to Baltimore. (Note: All cap data is courtesy of Over The Cap.)