It is time for the Ravens to give Lamar a contract extension
By: Tim Rodriguez
NFL teams never make it easy when it’s time to extend their star quarterbacks. The Dallas Cowboys spent far too long dragging their heels with Dak Prescott. Fortunately, they were able to get it done, but it hung over the franchise for quite a while. Washington spent years franchise tagging Kirk Cousins, and they haven’t been able to find a quarterback anywhere near his level since he walked in free agency. We have another situation brewing in the AFC North.
The Baltimore Ravens have been able to extend Lamar Jackson, the 2019 NFL MVP, for over a year, but still have no deal in place. Why? Wish I had an answer. While many media members have floated the idea that Jackson should be allowed to test the market by Baltimore, the Ravens should be doing everything necessary to keep him on the roster.
What are the Ravens without Lamar Jackson?
Average. They drafted him for a reason. He was the quarterback that was supposed to take them to a new level that post-2012 Joe Flacco couldn’t. And he did. A 14-2 campaign in 2019 had the Ravens poised to sit atop the AFC for years to come. Sure, they got run off the field in the playoffs, but that should not take away from their dominant performance. In 2020, despite a midseason COVID outbreak, the Ravens stormed to the postseason and avenged their 2019 divisional round loss. A Jackson injury eliminated any hopes of winning the next week.
This season, the Ravens were ravaged by injuries and COVID, including a season-ending ankle injury to their young star quarterback. Tyler Huntley filled in for Jackson and played amicably, proving that he deserves a chance to compete for a starting job”¦somewhere else. Unfortunately, his above average play has led many to believe that he could start for Baltimore, leaving Jackson and his contract status expendable.
Lock him up
There’s no reason to let Lamar Jackson walk in free agency. He is, without question, one of the most explosive players in the NFL. He is also accomplishing some tremendous feats given what he has been given. It’s no secret the Ravens have struggled to put together a consistent group of weapons, with tight end Mark Andrews emerging as the most reliable pass catcher on the team. All-world tackle Ronnie Stanley, who is taking up a large portion of the salary cap, has been on the receiving end of two devastating season-ending injuries in 2020 and 2021. Orlando Brown was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs last off-season, leaving the offensive tackle room in disarray. There were times in 2021 where Jackson was under siege. Through all that, he made it work. Baltimore was in prime playoff positioning when he went down.
Why the hesitation?
Jackson is always going to be held to a different standard than everyone else. You can come to your own conclusions why. His play style simply rubs people the wrong way. Whether the narrative be “he isn’t accurate enough” or “he can’t win the big games” or even “he can’t play from behind”, Jackson has a huge target on his back. Clearly, the lack of playoff success, as well as his increased likelihood to get injured given how he plays, the Ravens have some concerns as well. Other players on the team, like Stanley, have been taken care of, but Jackson has to remain humble and quiet. If Kirk Cousins can have a cap hit of nearly $50 million, Lamar Jackson, a former *checks notes* MVP, can get essentially whatever he pleases.
Lamar Jackson sweepstakes?
Make no mistake, Lamar Jackson hitting free agency would be the biggest seismic shift in NFL history when we look back on it. Quarterbacks this amazing simply don’t hit the open market at this age. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady hit the market when they were old enough to run for President of the United States. This could have Drew Brees to New Orleans levels of impact. The Saints were a downtrodden franchise and Brees, who the Chargers let walk away in 2006, helped them win a Super Bowl, win countless games and become one of the most consistent teams of the last two decades.
