Getty Lamar Jackson playing against the Cowboys in 2020.
The Baltimore Ravens have been talking about a long-term deal with quarterback Lamar Jackson this offseason, but up until now, Jackson’s thoughts haven’t been completely dissected.
Would the quarterback want to stay with the team long-term or would he be looking to move on? Loyalty can be a foreign concept in today’s NFL, but it’s clear that Jackson is not a person who is looking to fly the coop to a new team and greener pastures simply because of money and money alone.
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Speaking with the media after OTA sessions, Jackson was asked where things stood with contract talks. As he said, things are still ongoing, but he wants to stay with the team well into the future and be a member of the Ravens forever.
“I would love to be here forever.” @Lj_era8
He said:
“I spoke to (Eric) DeCosta a month or two ago, but you know, I would love to be here forever. I love Baltimore, I love the whole organization. I love everybody in the building. Hopefully we’ll be making something happen pretty soon or whatever.”
That’s quite a statement to make, and it only serves to prove just how much Jackson wants to stay with the team for the future and remain in the mix.
Ravens’ Eric DeCosta Wants to Keep Jackson
According to Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta a few months back, the team has spoken with Jackson about what the extension process will look like and they are confident about getting a new deal done in the future. They’ve spoken and the dialogue is at least open between the parties, and seems to have been for a while now given Jackson’s words.
“Lamar and I have had a couple talks.”
“We’re confident and committed to trying to get a long-term deal done.”
GM Eric DeCosta discusses a potential long-term contract extension with QB Lamar Jackson.
DeCosta said:
“I think from our perspective it hasn’t changed from what I said post-season, which is Lamar is a really important part of the team. He’s a leader, he’s an outstanding player, he’s a foundational type of guy for this organization. I really think he loves the organization, I think he’s appreciative of the organization and our stance in different things. We’re confident and committed to getting a long-term deal done at some point in the near future. It may take a little time, but we’re willing to try.
As for what a new deal with Jackson could look like, that’s anybody’s guess. Dak Prescott arguably just re-set the market with his mega-deal, but DeCosta admitted that deal might not play a role in the team’s thinking in terms of what they want to do with Jackson.
At the very least, the sides have spoken and there is open communication as well as desire. That’s positive news to remember.
When Could Jackson’s Extension Get Finished?
It’s clear both the Ravens as well as Jackson want to see a deal get done in the near future, and the fact that the sides have talked could only be construed as a positive at this point in time. The fact that the talks have been progressing and Jackson seems very motivated to stay leads to some optimism that a deal could be struck at some point this summer or ahead of the 2021 season. It seems that is not a completely unrealistic timetable with some of these updates.
At the very least, it’s great news to note that Jackson wants to stick with the Ravens for his career. Having one of the most exciting young quarterbacks will be a huge win for the Ravens if they can get a deal worked out.
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