Ravens GM ‘Optimistic’ About Re-Signing Lamar Jackson

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta told reporters at the Combine on Wednesday that he and impending free agent QB Lamar Jackson recently met regarding a potential contract extension.

“I’m optimistic. We’ll see where it goes,” DeCosta said, per Jeff Zrebiec. 

DeCosta declined to offer any details regarding negotiations with Jackson but did add that they’re open to the franchise tag if need be. 

“You can’t win in this league without a strong quarterback. We want Lamar here. We want him back. Living in a world without a quarterback is a bad world to live in,” DeCosta said, per Jamison Hensley. 

Last week, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Jamison Hensley reported contract talks between the Ravens and Jackson were still at a standoff over guaranteed money.

Team sources tell ESPN 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. 

One high-ranking NFL executive told ESPN: “Just because the Browns were desperate doesn’t mean that the Ravens are. They are a stable franchise. They aren’t about to jump at something just because Cleveland did it.”

As a former MVP, Jackson would be in high demand if Baltimore made him available. But his contract demands and injury history would give at least some teams pause, per Fowler and Hensley, citing one NFC executive.

“Teams always need quarterbacks, so there will be interest as a result, especially if the GM and the head coach need to win now. But when you factor in future collateral you have to give up, meeting his contract demands, plus the durability issues, that would be a hard sell. There’s a lot to sort through there.”

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.