The Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson have engaged in contract talks for over a year. With days remaining until Jackson becomes one of the top 2023 NFL free agents, an important decision could be imminent.
Jackson spent the last five seasons playing on his rookie contract. After playing out the fifth-year option this past season, Baltimore has engaged with Jackson in back-and-forth negotiations for months with a focus on preventing the franchise star from needing to test the open market, but talks between the two sides have yielded little progress.
It puts Jackson in a position to become the top free agent available, one of the rare instances of an elite quarterback just entering his prime becoming available for teams to bid on. However, the expectation remained that Baltimore would use the franchise tag on him. Most around the league anticipated that the Ravens would use the exclusive franchise tag. It would mean Jackson receives $45 million fully guaranteed next season, but he isn’t allowed to negotiate with other clubs. Now, the situation may have changed.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, many teams now believe the Ravens are strongly considering the usage of the non-exclusive tag, worth $32.416 million guaranteed.
Using the non-exclusive tag on Jackson would change things considerably. He would be allowed to negotiate with other NFL teams, engaging in contract talks to see if another organization is willing to make him one of the highest-paid NFL quarterbacks ever.
If Jackson agrees to terms on a deal with another team, the Ravens have an opportunity to match. In the event Baltimore doesn’t match the offer sheet, Jackson officially signs with that team and the Ravens receive that club’s first-round picks in the next two years.
It’s not an unreasonable belief for other general managers to reach. After negotiating with Jackson since the start of the 2022 NFL offseason, there are no signs that a contract resolution is imminent. So, the Ravens can use the non-exclusive tag to have other teams negotiate for them.
The Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons are the two teams to watch closest if Jackson receives the non-exclusive tag. David Tepper is one of the richest NFL owners and made it clear he is willing to do whatever it takes to land a franchise quarterback. After failing to land Deshaun Watson last spring, Atlanta would view Jackson as the perfect fit for Arthur Smith’s offense and a player the franchise can be built around.
Jackson is reportedly seeking a deal similar to the one Watson received, with more than $200 million guaranteed. It’s a requirement the Ravens have been unwilling to meet in negotiations and now the organization seems prepared to see if any other club will do it.
