by INDIANAPOLIS — If the Aaron Rodgers saga is the main dish of the NFL offseason, then the Lamar Jackson mystery is its very extensive hors d’oeuvre.
And while Rodgers decides when he will reveal whether — or perhaps where — he will play in 2023, the Baltimore Ravens have until March 7 to make their first major decision about Jackson’s immediate future. That’s the deadline for teams to use the franchise tag on one of their pending free agents to hamper his ability to leave.
“We’re hoping to make a deal with Lamar before that happens (the tag deadline),” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said Wednesday at the annual Scouting Combine.
“But sure, they are big numbers. Since we know they are big numbers, we are prepared for them. And we have four, five or six different plans based on what happens over the next 10 days.”
But what exactly are these contingencies, and what is the feasibility of each? Let’s explore the options the raves are considering:
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Exclusive franchise label
The year-long tender for a quarterback is worth about $45 million, which is what the league’s top passers make in average annual pay. It would also prevent Jackson, who is representing himself, from negotiating with other teams while also sending a message — both financially and from a restrictive standpoint — that the Ravens are committed to a future with him. It also allows both sides four more months to reach an extension.
DeCosta said Wednesday there was “no doubt” that Jackson deserved to be paid in the top league of NFL QBs.
And yet the exclusive tag would put the Ravens – who are currently expected to spend $24.3 million this year, according to OverTheCap – in a deficit of over $20 million that will require either a restructuring of other players’ contracts or a full-blown contract would necessitate contract cuts.
Default Franchise Tag
It’s worth significantly less than the exclusive version – $32.4 million – and would also allow Jackson to negotiate with other teams. If he signed an offer from another club, the Ravens could subsequently match it or let Jackson go but receive two first-round picks from his new team as compensation. Still, it’s worth wondering how Jackson would feel about the diminished value of that tag and the fact that Baltimore would essentially be telling him to find a better arrangement rather than doing the negotiations in-house.
“It’s difficult, it’s challenging,” DeCosta said of negotiating with someone who doesn’t have an agent.
“You’re dealing with a player, so of course it’s different. It’s a personal relationship. You’re with this guy every day and you have a great appreciation for who he is and what he does, and yeah, like that is it.” is challenging.”
Act
Though Jackson’s five-year rookie deal officially expires in two weeks, the Ravens can still handle him — by tagging him first. Franchise players can be exchanged for whatever compensation two parties can agree on — that is, more or less than the two first-round players who would change hands if an outside offer weren’t matched — although Jackson has such an agreement through the actual signing of the agreement would have to fulfill day, which would certainly require the framework of his next contract with a new team.
New contract
The Ravens are certainly signaling that this is the outcome they want with Jackson, sooner rather than later. Owner Steve Bisciotti vented last year how their talks would be complicated by the five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million deal that AFC North rival Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson was awarded after he took over, and that appears to be working out to have proved true.
Still, signing Jackson before March 7 would mean Baltimore could structure its deal with more favorable cap numbers and leave room for other free agents in the years to come. Watson’s cap hit was less than $10 million in 2022, and his deal could be restructured this year in hopes that a growing salary cap will better accommodate him in future seasons.
snack
Publicly, the Ravens seem to be saying all the right things about their desire to keep Jackson. And why not? He was the league MVP, and Baltimore has had significant (regular-season) hits over his five seasons, including four playoff trips.
“You can’t win in this league without a strong quarterback,” DeCosta said. “I mean, that’s proven. So we want Lamar here. We think he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league — he’s certainly one of our best players — and we want him back.
“Living in a world without a quarterback is a bad world to live in.”
And a likely outcome for the Ravens if Jackson leaves the crease, especially since they’re not scheduled to pick until they’re 22nd in the draft. And Baltimore seems an unlikely destination for a player like Rodgers considering how the offense has been adjusted for Jackson over the years.
However, that attack will continue to develop under newly hired coordinator Todd Monken, although coach John Harbaugh believes his hiring is a sign of the organization’s dedication to Jackson and his continued development.
When asked if he envisioned a post-Jackson scenario, Harbaugh said, “Not very much. As little as possible, sure. Our plans apply to Lamar.”
Neither he nor DeCosta objected to Jackson’s absence from the Ravens’ wildcard loss in Cincinnati, Harbaugh – who frequently writes with the quarterback – and believed Jackson was simply trying to give himself the best opportunity to play the following week, although he did. Has not appeared in either of the last two seasons after Week 14 due to injuries.
“It’s just what it is, part of the business,” Harbaugh said of the ongoing impasse. “I’m really hopeful and excited – very hopeful and can’t wait for it to be done.
“We want Lamar, and Lamar wants to be a raven. And in the end it will sort itself out in my head… I was always confident that it would work out and I still believe in it. “
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.
