Lamar Jackson Has Already Made His Intentions Crystal Clear

There seems to be no sense of urgency within the Baltimore Ravens front office regarding Lamar Jackson‘s contract situation.

The former Louisville standout will be playing the 2022 season under a fifth-year option that will pay him $23,016,000.

If no deal is made, Jackson can walk away in free agency which would be a disaster for the franchise.

After all, the Ravens have made the playoffs in three of the four seasons he has played.

His versatility also adds more dimensions to their offense.

Getting Jackson’s contract extension done should be easier, given that he represents himself.

He can negotiate a fair deal based on how the quarterback market moved in the offseason.

Likewise, he has no intention to leave Baltimore, as shared by Baltimore Sun’s Jonas Shaffer.

Lamar Jackson said he expects to remain in Baltimore for the rest of his career

— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) June 16, 2022

Shaffer tweeted, “Lamar Jackson said he expects to remain in Baltimore for the rest of his career.”

Without a contract in place, the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player isn’t ruling out a holdout.

Ideally, both sides should have agreed to a deal before training camp starts.

But as with negotiations, the two sides are exercising whatever leverage they have to gain the upper hand.

In this case, Jackson has the advantage because the Ravens would have a hard time replacing him.

Therefore, it’s possible that he will ask for a higher amount than what the Ravens will initially offer.

How Much Will Jackson’s Contract Extension Be?

Aaron Rodgers raised the ceiling of the quarterback market after signing a three-year, $150 million extension with the Green Bay Packers.

He had the right to get that deal given that he is the two-time reigning league MVP.

Jackson might negotiate for an amount close to what Rodgers will get.

He can refer to Deshaun Watson‘s five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract to dictate the terms he wants.

If a quarterback who hasn’t played for one season got $46 million annually, a former league MVP in Jackson deserves to get more.