Ravens Considering Using Non-Exclusive Tender On Lamar Jackson?

ESPN’s Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler write that several people around the league believe the Ravens are strongly considering using the non-exclusive franchise tag on QB Lamar Jackson.

The non-exclusive tender is $32.4 million compared to a projected $45 million for the exclusive. It allows other teams to negotiate with Jackson and sign him to an offer sheet that Baltimore could choose to match. If the Ravens declined, they’d receive two first-round picks as compensation for Jackson. 

Graziano and Fowler explain the thinking behind the non-exclusive tag would be to let negotiations progress with other teams involved and take out some of the haggling over guaranteed money.

The downside is it could offend Jackson and two first-round picks is not as much compensation as the quarterback is probably worth. 

The deadline for the tag is Tuesday, so we’ll find out soon enough which way the Ravens want to go. 

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said at the Combine this week he’s “optimistic” a long-term deal will get done, but a report from ESPN indicated the Ravens continue to balk at guaranteeing the full deal, while all of Jackson’s counteroffers have been for fully-guaranteed deals in excess of Browns QB Deshaun Watson‘s five-year, $230 million deal. 

The Ravens are expected to place the franchise tag on Jackson to keep him under contract if they don’t somehow make tremendous progress on an extension, but that would not preclude them from trading him. If it becomes clear the two sides won’t bridge the gap in extension talks, the Ravens could be tempted to trade Jackson. 

Baltimore could tag Jackson again next year at 120 percent of his number in 2023. A third tag would theoretically be available for the Ravens to use in 2025 but it would cost 144 percent of the 2024 number, which could be more than $70 million. No team has ever used a third tag because it’s so cost-prohibitive.  

Jackson, 26, is a former first-round pick of the Ravens back in 2018. He just finished the fourth year of his four-year, $9,471,652 contract that included a $5,968,472 signing bonus.

The Ravens picked up Jackson’s fifth-year option that will cost them $23 million fully guaranteed for the 2022 season, but won’t prevent them from working on an extension. He’s due to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023. 

In 2022, Jackson appeared in 12 games for the Ravens and completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 764 yards and three touchdowns.

We’ll have more on Jackson as the news is available.