By Jeff Zrebiec, Josh Kendall, Joseph Person and Larry Holder
The Baltimore Ravens will place the franchise tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson, the team announced Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Jackson will count $32.4 million against the Ravens’ 2023 salary cap with the non-exclusive tag if he signs the tender or doesn’t receive a long-term contract.
- The non-exclusive tag allows Jackson to negotiate with other teams. If he agrees to a deal with a new team, the Ravens can match it or refuse and be awarded two first-round draft picks as compensation.
- The Atlanta Falcons and the Carolina Panthers will not be involved in the Jackson contract situation, multiple sources confirmed to The Athletic.
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Backstory
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said “Lamar Jackson is our quarterback” during a mid-January news conference, despite Jackson being a pending free agent.
During the same news conference, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said, “Our relationship with Lamar is fantastic.” DeCosta also acknowledged negotiating with Jackson is challenging.
“I told Lamar, this thing has been a burden for both of us, but when it’s over, we’re going to feel like a million bucks,” he said.
DeCosta added that he truly believes Jackson wants to be with the Ravens his entire career. The Baltimore GM said the team’s singular focus is a long-term extension with Jackson and he wasn’t interested in discussing trading him. Both Harbaugh and DeCosta re-affirmed their sentiments about wanting Jackson for the long term during the NFL Scouting Combine.
Jackson, 26, wrapped up his rookie contract after the 2022 season. The 2019 NFL MVP played 12 games in 2022, tallying 2,242 passing yards, 17 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 764 yards and three TDs.
The 2018 first-round pick has only started 12 games in each of the last two seasons.
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The Athletic’s instant analysis:
Baltimore is taking a major risk here
The Ravens are taking an awfully big gamble that a quarterback-needy team isn’t going to give Jackson the type of deal that he’s been seeking, which is believed to be in the neighborhood of the fully-guaranteed five-year, $230 million deal that Deshaun Watson got from the Browns last offseason. The Ravens theoretically could be determined to match any offer sheet that Jackson gets, but teams certainly could make it difficult in how they structure the deal for perennially cap-strapped Baltimore to absorb it. — Zrebiec
The ball is now in Jackson’s court
The negotiations between the Ravens and Jackson, who doesn’t have an agent, have been a slog. DeCosta has chosen his words carefully as to not enflame already delicate negotiations, but he’s called the talks a “burden” and brought up the fact that there has to be a give and take from both sides. It’s clear the Ravens have run out of confidence in their ability to get this deal done. It’s now up to Jackson to get the deal he’s seeking and force the Ravens’ hands. — Zrebiec
Why the Falcons won’t pursue Jackson
The news that the Falcons aren’t going to be involved drew a decidedly negative reaction from the most vocal online segment of the team’s fan base Tuesday afternoon, but the move never made a lot of sense based on what we know about general manager Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith.
Since taking over two years ago, that duo has taken the team from salary cap jail to second-most money in the league but it has taken some hard decisions and a 14-20 record to get there. To then essentially hand the fate of the franchise to the health and happiness of one player always felt like too long a bridge for the Falcons to cross. That being said, this is the team that was in the Deshaun Watson pursuit until its final days last offseason. Maybe the team’s early exit from this situation is a sign of a lesson learned. Or maybe it’s an indicator of the Falcons’ faith in Desmond Ridder. — Kendall
Jackson’s troubling advanced metrics
Jackson can still be one of the most electrifying players in the NFL. But you also can’t ignore that parts of his game have fallen off since his 2019 MVP season. Below is a year-by-year look at his passer rating and Expected Points Added per dropback, via TruMedia:
| Year | EPA/db | Pass rtg |
|---|---|---|
-0.01 (21) |
Have Jackson’s injuries caused a drop in these numbers? Or has there been some regression? Regardless, the Ravens’ brass has said numerous times publicly that they want Jackson for the long term. — Holder
What they’re saying
“There have been many instances across the league and in Baltimore when a player has been designated with the franchise tag and signed a long-term deal that same year,” DeCosta said in a statement. “We will continue to negotiate in good faith with Lamar, and we are hopeful that we can strike a long-term deal that is fair to both Lamar and the Ravens. Our ultimate goal is to build a championship team with Lamar Jackson leading the way for many years to come.”
Required reading
(Photo: Tommy Gilligan / USA Today)
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