OWINGS MILLS, Md. — It’s Deadline Day in Baltimore.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has said that his self-imposed deadline for working out a contract extension with the team would be the start of the regular season, and this week he announced that “Friday” would be the cutoff.
“The week isn’t over yet, but soon,” Jackson said at his weekly Wednesday news conference.
The Ravens open the season on Sept. 11 at the New York Jets, and Jackson said with a smile that come kickoff time on Sunday, he won’t be thinking about his contract.
Jackson, 25, is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is playing on the fifth-year option that was exercised by the team. He is set to earn $23 million.
Jackson’s contract status has been topic No. 1 in Baltimore since at least the spring, when Jackson opted to stay away from the team’s voluntary Organized Team Activities for the first time in his career. He attended mandatory June minicamp, and while some speculated that Jackson might hold out during training camp until a new deal was reached, he reported on time and did not miss a camp practice.
Jackson, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta and head coach John Harbaugh all have stressed that they expect a deal to get done, but negotiations have been complicated by the fact that Jackson has no agent.
DeCosta said earlier this year that the team would “work at Lamar’s urgency,” suggesting the team was ready to close the deal but Jackson had not shown a pressing interest to do so.
Jackson said there were contract discussions over the summer, but when asked this week whether the two sides are any closer than they were at the start of training camp, Jackson said, “I have no clue. You’ll have to ask the guy who I’m talking to. Talk to the GM about that.”
The price for top-tier quarterbacks has only risen in the past few months based on recent deals, and while Jackson has said that he isn’t concerned with what other quarterbacks make, those contracts likely factor in any discussions.
The Cleveland Browns this spring signed Deshaun Watson to a five-year contract worth $230 million, all of it fully guaranteed, which has proved to be a contract outlier but could yet serve as a model for Jackson.
Arizona’s Kyler Murray, selected No. 1 overall in 2019, last month signed a five-year, $230 million deal with $189 million guaranteed. Russell Wilson agreed to a five-year, $245 million deal with $165 million guaranteed with Denver. Last year, Josh Allen, taken 25 spots before Jackson in the 2018 draft, signed a six-year, $258 million deal with the Buffalo Bills, with $150 million guaranteed.
With extensions potentially looming next year for Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, the price could climb past Aaron Rodgers’ league-best average annual value of $50 million a year.
If the Ravens and Jackson don’t work out a deal, the team could use the franchise tag to keep Jackson from hitting free agency, but that is expected to cost roughly $45 million, all fully charged against next year’s salary cap. Any long-term deal should drive down the cap charge in early years significantly.
Jackson is 37-12 as a starter and became the first quarterback in league history to reach 35 wins before age 25. He was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2019, when he led the Ravens to a 14-2 record and No. 1 overall seeding in the AFC, but the team stumbled and lost its first playoff game that year.
For all his numerous accolades — he is the only quarterback in NFL history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons — Jackson’s career postseason record of 1-3 has been fodder for critics, and it’s fair to wonder whether that also comes up in a nine-figure contract negotiation.
Beloved by Ravens fans, Jackson nevertheless has faced skepticism throughout his career, with some critics praising his singular running ability while also questioning his throwing mechanics and downfield accuracy.
This summer, an anonymous defensive coordinator told The Athletic that Jackson would never be a top-tier quarterback, even if he won 12 MVP awards. The statement drew sharp rebukes from Harbaugh and Jackson’s teammates.
“Well that’s a foolish statement,” defensive end Calais Campbell said. “… Let the haters talk. We let them chirp and we just win football games.”
In terms of the contract situation, the Ravens and their fans would gladly take a reprise of 2012.
That year, franchise quarterback Joe Flacco turned down a contract extension with the Ravens and opted to play out the final year of his deal, essentially betting on himself. He responded by leading the Ravens to a 10-6 record and a fifth straight playoff berth, then went on a postseason run for the ages.
Flacco threw 11 touchdowns and no interceptions in a four-game postseason winning streak that culminated with the Super Bowl title. Flacco was named the Super Bowl MVP after the Ravens’ 34-31 win against the San Francisco 49ers.
Flacco and the Ravens then worked out a new six-year, $120 million contract extension that remains — for now — the most lucrative in team history.
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