Getty Lamar Jackson during a game against the Rams.
The Baltimore Ravens have gotten used to having Lamar Jackson around at a reduced cost, but those days might be coming to an end sooner than later.
On the heels of Patrick Mahomes re-setting the market at quarterback, folks have begun to take a fresh look at what Jackson could be expected to get paid. The number is astronomical for the quarterback, a projected $42.5 million according to a Spotrac.com projection.
The “value” plan in Baltimore may not be around much longer…
Lamar Jackson’s updated calculated valuation soars to $42.5M on the heels of the Mahomes contract.
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Mahomes, of course, secured the bag with his new contract with the Kansas City Chiefs. That deal broke down to be worth $45 million per season. Would Jackson take less money on his deal? A lot will depend on where his career goes before his contract comes up. Should he win a Super Bowl and another MVP, it’s possible Jackson could actually top the Mahomes contract, and many expect him to do just that.
Theoretically, he should be right in the ballpark, however. This deal, while not as much as Mahomes, is certainly close in terms of overall money.
Buckle up for this round of negotiations whenever it might come.
Colin Cowherd: Patrick Mahomes Ahead of Lamar Jackson
In the end, Mahomes might be a little bit ahead of Jackson in terms of a player and he is certainly ahead of him in terms of a contract. What could change that in the end? Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports compared the Baltimore Ravens star with the stud from the Kansas City Chiefs and said that in the end, there’s really one difference and thus far, it’s the postseason.
“We’re just seeing the surface with Patrick Mahomes. If you’re going to catch up to him, good luck.”
@ColinCowherd explains what separates the Chiefs’ QB from Lamar Jackson:
Cowherd said:
“Lamar Jackson has been unbelievable playing with a lead and in regular seasons. He’s been awful in the playoffs. Patrick Mahomes has been great at home, on the road, warm weather, cold weather, leading, and trailing 24-0. Patrick Mahomes and Russsell Wilson, this is the difference. Circumstances don’t matter. Even Aaron Rodgers who I’m critical of, Rodgers, Mahomes and Russell Wilson, playoffs, it’s pretty much the same quarterback. Lamar Jackson is 19-3 in the regular season, mostly playing with a lead and MVP. In 2 playoff games, he completes 51% of his throws, his passer rating is 68, 3 touchdowns, 3 picks. It’s a small sample size. Could I just say it’s random. Could be. Could I say it’s just 2 bad games? Absolutely. You’re not going to let Lamar Jackson walk. He’s getting a contract. But if he had a 3rd playoff game and stunk, that’s the difference between $36 million and $46 million.”
It’s clear the playoff critique isn’t going away easily for Jackson. In a pair of playoff starts, Jackson has passed for 559 yards, 3 touchdowns and 3 interceptions and is 0-2. Mahomes has been much better en-route to a Super Bowl and plenty of early wins, but the good news for Jackson is he is still young and has time to make up for the tough start to his playoff career.
If Jackson has a solid rebound in 2020 and beyond, he might just shatter Mahomes’ numbers. If he doesn’t, though, it will be interesting to see what the Ravens do money wise. The bet is on Jackson still managing to cash in as Cowherd says, but the playoffs could be the sticking point between this duo.
NFL Analyst Betting on Patrick Mahomes Over Lamar Jackson
Who should be considered as the top choice to lead a franchise at this point in time? According to a new Bleacher Report poll of writers, the answer is Mahomes, albeit narrowly. He won a poll 4-3 in terms of which quarterback the analysts would take.
Chiming in on that front, the Pro Football Talk account run by Mike Florio also cast a vote for Mahomes, saying he’s the better player even though Jackson is special.
Obviously, for the Ravens, this debate is meaningless. Their top goal is to win the Super Bowl following the 2020 season playing out, and Jackson is an excellent player to help them toward that goal as the reigning 2020 MVP. The moves the Ravens made this offseason should help to supplement Jackson in this goal moving forward, no matter who the experts support head to head.
Lamar Jackson Stats
This past season, Jackson has been the epitome of a dual-threat quarterback and one of the leaders in the next generation of quarterbacks that will make waves in the league. After the action concluded last week, Jackson has put up 3,127 passing yards and 36 touchdowns through the air. On the ground, he has rumbled for 1,206 yards and 7 touchdowns. As a whole, the Ravens have managed to find the best of Jackson on the field. Arguably, he’s become the most obvious MVP candidate in the league given these types of things.
Since being drafted out of Louisville, Jackson has begun to rewrite the book in the league in terms of what a quarterback is and can be. The fact that he was a shoo-in as an All-Pro is a testament to how good Jackson has been in 2019.
If Jackson can keep playing this well, he might only continue to cash in further.
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