The Baltimore Ravens have a big decision to make this offseason regarding former MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson, and many NFL teams are waiting for the outcome.
Jackson, 26, is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but the Ravens are expected to franchise tag him. He missed six games this season (including one playoff game) due to a sprained PCL that he suffered in the first half against the Broncos in Week 13 of the regular season. He also missed five games in 2021 due to injury.
The Ravens and Jackson have yet to come to an agreement on a contract extension after two years of on-and-off negotiations, which has sparked questions about how far apart the two sides are on a potential deal.
Former Saints and Dolphins GM Randy Mueller, now the director of player personnel for the XFL’s Seattle Sea Dragons, offered valuable insight into what may be going on inside the Ravens’ building.
“They understand what they have in Lamar,” Mueller said on Glenn Clark Radio Jan. 27 after complimenting the organization’s financial structure in recent memory. “… They made the case to get a long-term deal done within the last year. I don’t think what’s happened this year is going to change the value they put on him. Maybe the structure changes a little bit.”
The Ravens have openly expressed their interest in re-signing Jackson. Head coach John Harbaugh and GM Eric DeCosta recently said that they are doing what they can to keep their quarterback around long term.
A unique aspect of these negotiations is that Jackson is representing himself since he does not have an agent. Mueller said that he could not think of a situation like this that he has been in before, but if he had been, he believes that having to talk about topics that can get personal in contract talks “definitely complicates things.”
Mueller says an agent can sometimes act as a filter.
“Sometimes the agent’s job is to make sure that things don’t get personal and filter things being said either way,” Mueller said. “That’s just professional negotiating 101. It’s hard when one side has a personal feeling that could get bruised … so it complicates things.”
Mueller also added that if Jackson is looking for a fully guaranteed contract, it might have to come from “somewhere else,” which is where it might get tricky for the Ravens.
Due to recent contract extensions in the NFL, the market has been altered. In particular, when the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson, then amended his contract (five years and $230 million, all guaranteed), Watson had not taken an NFL snap since the 2020 season and was mired in legal controversy off the field. With that in mind, Jackson may view himself as capable of earning a contract of that magnitude.
When asked about the possibility of Jackson being franchised tagged and the distraction that comes with it if he does not show up to training camp on time, Mueller said “it’s not a giant distraction.” He added that the distraction really comes from the media trying to make something more of the situation.
“They understand how these things work,” Mueller said. “It is not a distraction inside the building.”
If a deal is to get done between Jackson and the Ravens, then what has to happen next? The focus would shift to building a team that could win a Super Bowl with Jackson behind center.
A common trend among successful teams with franchise quarterbacks is the presence of a genuine No. 1 receiving threat. All four of the teams that competed in conference championship weekend had a true primary target at receiver. The Eagles have A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. The Bengals have Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The 49ers have Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. The Chiefs have Travis Kelce, who acts as a top wide receiver in that offense. Baltimore will need a top pass-catcher.
It all comes back to Jackson’s status.
“[The Ravens] know that they put all their eggs in that basket, and they don’t have a lot of options,” Mueller said. “The decision is going to come down the pike. The pavement does hit the road. I don’t think they’re going to let Lamar out the gate without doing what’s right for the Ravens.”
For more from Mueller, listen to the full interview here:
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