Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
Let’s assess all possible outcomes of the dramatic Lamar Jackson-Baltimore Ravens situation.
One way or another, Lamar Jackson is about to get paid, but it remains to be seen whether that will be by the Baltimore Ravens or somebody else entirely.
Jackson is about to enter year six in the NFL after a stellar collegiate career at Louisville. He has won a league MVP and is Louisville’s only Heisman Trophy winner to date. Given that he was a former first-round pick by the Ravens in 2018, Jackson was afforded the fifth-year option. He got it, and actually played it out. From here, Jackson can go one of three ways entering the offseason.
Let’s discuss if it is better for Jackson to be extended, to be franchise tagged or to even be traded.
Table of Contents
- Introduction: Let’s keep kicking this can down the road because that is what we are doing.
- Page 2: Let’s make a deal and bet on ourselves. Isn’t a public divorce just utterly fantastic?
- Page 3: Let’s stay together for the kids, make this thing work and win some championships.
Ranking all the possible outcomes of the Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens saga
3. Baltimore Ravens use the franchise tag on Lamar Jackson
To be totally honest, this is the most likely outcome, but that does not mean it is best for both parties long-term. Baltimore is too well-run of an organization to let Jackson walk away for nothing. Given the challenges that have resulted from Jackson representing himself, the franchise tag is not going to be a preferable option for either party, especially with the quarterback himself.
It serves Baltimore to use the non-exclusive franchise tag to allow Jackson to negotiate with other teams for a potential trade. Going the exclusive franchise tag route could come back to haunt the Ravens’ brass if Jackson straight-up refuses to play. Either way, Jackson will get a nice bump in pay by getting the average annual salaries of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL entering next year.
Of course, having Jackson play on the tag in Baltimore will only bring us back to the same situation again next year, assuming nothing drastically changes. In short, Jackson is going to be tagged, but it remains to be seen how the Ravens will want to go about playing hardball. Tagging Jackson may help him get traded, but not every team in the mix for him can trade for him before the NFL Draft.
The New Orleans Saints and his hometown Miami Dolphins must recoup some draft capital first.
