It’s not a secret that the Baltimore Ravens and star quarterback Lamar Jackson have had trouble negotiating a long-term contract, and it looks like the Ravens might have a new, quite surprising plan to help solve this problem.
According to a report from NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Baltimore Ravens are considering using a non-exclusive franchise tag on Lamar Jackson this offseason.
“Several people around the league believe the Baltimore Ravens have strongly considered using the non-exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson, which would deepen the intrigue on his future in a major way,” Fowler said. “While the Ravens haven’t officially made a decision leading up to the deadline, several league executives now believe the non-exclusive tag — which allows teams to offer Jackson a contract that Baltimore can either match or decline in exchange for two first-round picks — makes the most sense for Baltimore.”
It would be a somewhat surprising move, but Fowler explained why the Ravens might choose this option.
“Baltimore has had a challenging time negotiating with Jackson, so this allows him to shop his own services and bring an offer to the Ravens, taking out the guesswork and the haggling over guaranteed money. The tag should also fall somewhere around $32 million, far less than the projected $45 million for the exclusive franchise tag. And transferring the work to Jackson and other teams helps Baltimore maintain neutrality in any potential breakup,” Fowler said.
It’s a big and bold move, and the NFL world had plenty to say about it on Twitter.
We’ll have to see what the Ravens ultimately decide to do.
[ESPN]
About Kevin Harrish