It doesn’t matter who the Baltimore Ravens select in the 2023 NFL draft because the franchise received the best news possible even before making the 22nd pick on Thursday, April 27. Lamar Jackson will remain a Raven after he “agreed in principle on a 5-year contract extension,” per the team.
We’ve agreed in principle on a 5-year contract extension with QB @Lj_era8‼️
😈😈😈😈
As for actual numbers, CBS Sports’ Insider Josina Anderson revealed Jackson got $260 million over five years, with $185 million “guaranteed.”
The deal makes Jackson “the new highest paid QB, in the league, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Jackson’s decision brings a timely end to what had been a contract saga that’s been on a slow boil all offseason. The Ravens applied the non-exclusive franchise tag to their starting quarterback, but Jackson had been reluctant to sign the one-year deal.
Subsequent developments may have changed his mind. Specifically, general manager Eric DeCosta acquiring wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in free agency.
Now the Ravens can turn their attention to adding more weapons for No. 8 during the draft.
Lamar Jackson Made the Right Decision
Jackson stays where he’s wanted because no other team around the league bothered to call the Ravens’ bluff. The gambit involved using the non-exclusive franchise tag, which still allowed Jackson to talk with other teams.
If a franchise had made Jackson an offer he accepted, the Ravens would have been on the clock to match those terms or seek an alternative at football’s most important position. The latter route would have been easier to traverse with the two first-round picks due the Ravens under the terms of the tag.
Jackson’s problem was no other team made him an offer. His desire for a fully-guaranteed contract on par with what the Cleveland Browns paid Deshaun Watson last offseason didn’t help.
While there was silence across the rest of the NFL landscape, the Ravens remained steadfast in their desire to have Jackson commit his future to the team that drafted him 32nd overall in 2018.
Fortunately for Jackson, the Philadelphia Eagles giving Jalen Hurts an extension worth $255 million, spurred the Ravens into action, per Rapoport.
Bringing in Beckham was a sign of the Ravens’ desire to keep Jackson, but more action can follow, like drafting another playmaker for the wide receiver corps. Fortunately, there are options.
Boston College Star a Favorite for Ravens
Of all the receivers the Ravens might select from this class, one name is emerging as favorite. It’s Boston College’s Zay Flowers, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer: “A good number of rival teams believe that Baltimore will be in the receiver market at No. 22, with Odell Beckham on a one-year deal, and Rashod Bateman coming back from foot surgery. If they do, a burner could be in order, with Boston College’s Zay Flowers a potentially interesting fit.”
Flowers to the Ravens is an idea also endorsed by Pro Football Network’s Adam Caplan. He calls Flowers “a favorite of many offensive coaches around the NFL.”
It’s easy to understand why when Flowers can burn defenses after the catch, the way he did for this score against Rutgers.
Catch, run, score.
Zay Flowers is putting on a show!
Flowers can also beat defenses over the top as a legitimate vertical threat.
Zay Flowers made this catch in double coverage 😧
Adding Flowers to a supporting cast already featuring Beckham and All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews would be a good way of ensuring the Ravens get value for money from their historic investment in Jackson.
This dynamic trio will also give the 26-year-old all the weapons he needs to advance his game in new offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s more expansive scheme. That combination should elevate the Ravens and Jackson to a championship in the near future.
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Lamar Jackson Finally Makes Ravens Contract Decision: Report