Getty Lamar Jackson excited during a win over Jacksonville.
Lamar Jackson’s future with the Baltimore Ravens has been a big topic lately, with questions swirling most of this offseason regarding a contract extension. So far, mum continues to be the word on any progress between the sides as it relates to a deal.
Speaking this past week, Baltimore general manager Eric DeCosta was once again asked to sum up where things stood with Jackson’s contract talks. As he said, not much has changed from before, with the sides continuing to talk and have dialogue about a potential deal.
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According to DeCosta, the path to such an agreement is still there for the team and the quarterback, and it’s just a simple matter of time before something gets done. In a pre-draft press conference, DeCosta was asked about where things stood with Jackson and had an answer.
“That’s ongoing.”
GM Eric DeCosta on extension conversations with Lamar:
He said:
“That’s ongoing. That’s definitely a fluid thing. Lamar and I have had discussions about that. I think it’s important to us and it’s important to him. I think Lamar’s obviously a very patient guy, he wants to be the best he can be, he wants this team to be the best they can be and he wants to win very badly so we’re aligned that way. I’m confident that we’ll continue to discuss this and I think at some point we’ll have some very good news for everybody.”
Obviously, it will be interesting to see whether or not Jackson can get the contract when all is said and done, but it sounds as if the Ravens will still be looking to get something finished soon.
Lamar Jackson’s Next Contract With Ravens Could Be Huge
On the heels of Patrick Mahomes re-setting the market at quarterback this past offseason, 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.
t.co/SGfy2QxGHe
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. It will be interesting to see whether or not Jackson can match or exceed this contract when he gets a deal in the coming months.
Lamar Jackson Stats
This past season, Jackson had more struggles than successes at times statistically, but even in spite of that, he managed to have a solid season this year. Jackson himself had only 2,757 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 1,005 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns. Those numbers might be lower than what thy were in his NFL MVP season, but it’s long been clear that the stats are only half of what Jackson brings to the table. He is still the unquestioned heart and soul of the entire team, which is why DeCosta is smart to want to wrap him up.
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 with his ability to run and extend the play.. The fact that he was a shoo-in as an All-Pro is a testament to how good Jackson was in 2019. The fact he won MVP last season was also simply a testament to that as well. There’s no question he can still challenge for those awards moving forward.
The hope is the Ravens can get something done with Jackson sooner rather than later in order to keep him around.
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