Questions grow as Ravens wait on Jackson for contract talks

This week marked nine years since the Ravens signed Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco to what was the richest contract in NFL history at the time.

When they’ll put pen to paper with superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson for an even more lucrative extension remains anyone’s guess — including that of general manager Eric DeCosta. Speaking at the scouting combine in Indianapolis earlier this week, DeCosta shared an update similar to the one we heard in Owings Mills last month.

The Ravens sound open — if not eager — to negotiating at the “urgency” of the 2019 NFL MVP with DeCosta reiterating his vision of Jackson being “a very, very big part” of helping them win Super Bowls in the years to come. As the executive acknowledged last month, the negotiation is “unusual” with the 25-year-old not having a certified player agent, but even that remains secondary until the Ravens can get their quarterback to the bargaining table, which apparently has been an issue.

“It takes two sides to actively put their heads together and get a deal worked out,” DeCosta told local reporters in Indianapolis. “We are ready to be there for Lamar at any point when he decides that he really wants to work on it. We will be. We have an awesome relationship. Lamar has spent time with coach [John Harbaugh] and I in John’s office on the phone via text. I don’t want to speak for him, but I think he’s very excited about this season we have coming up.”

Recent Instagram videos of Jackson resuming on-field workouts after his December ankle injury would appear to confirm that enthusiasm, but organized team activities are still more than two months away, let alone talking about the start of training camp in late July. We all recall the ESPN report the day of the 2021 opener stating contract talks had taken a backseat to training camp and the regular season — a reasonable and common stance, mind you — but we’re now in the height of the NFL’s business season, which begs a simple question regarding such a special talent and his long-term contract status.

If not now, then when?

“I spoke with Mr. ‘EDC’ probably like a month or two ago,” Jackson said last May. “I would love to be here forever. I love Baltimore. I love the whole organization. I love everybody in the building. But hopefully we’ll be making something happen pretty soon or whenever.”

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But since that first media session after he’d become eligible for an extension at the conclusion of his third season, the organization-to-Jackson word ratio on contract talks has been pretty lopsided with Jackson reiterating at different points in May, June, August, and as recently as the day after the conclusion of the 2021 season that he was more focused on football or his health than hammering out an extension. DeCosta estimated early last month that he and Jackson had had “five or six conversations at different points over the last year” about his contract, making it difficult to believe at least some financial terms wouldn’t have been discussed at some point.

DeCosta acknowledged last March that you’re “not going to get much of a discount” shopping for a quarterback at “the Bentley dealership,” but might the Ravens have made an offer that turned Jackson off and put him in “betting on himself” mode — a strategy that worked beautifully for Flacco — ahead of his contract year? Risky as it would be for someone who’s already accomplished much, is Jackson truly so focused on football that he just isn’t that concerned about an extension right now, especially since he’s guaranteed $23.106 million for the upcoming season? Could the absence of an agent be a mistake or the feature of an unconventional approach from one of the NFL’s brightest young stars to try to maximize his long-term earning potential as some are now beginning to wonder?

Whatever the case, the Ravens have little choice now but to remain patient if their franchise quarterback isn’t ready to talk contract. As much as the framework of a potential extension could save several million dollars in salary cap space ahead of the start of the new league year later this month, that short-term benefit pales in comparison to the need to structure an agreement suitable for both sides. Even if a new contract wouldn’t come together until later this spring or summer, any saved 2022 cap dollars could at least be applied to the “rainy day” fund required during the season, something the Ravens were forced to use extensively during their injury-ravaged 2021. Of course, the longer the terms and structure of Jackson’s extension remain unknown, the more challenging it becomes for DeCosta and the organization to make roster plans for this year and beyond.

Not having the two-time Pro Bowl quarterback signed may feel unsettling with his scheduled free agency only a calendar year away, but the Ravens still have time and, more specifically, the use of the franchise tag on their side, which could conceivably keep Jackson off the open market through the 2024 season. In the absence of a long-term deal, Baltimore could also continue to assess him and the overall state of the offense after an up-and-down 2021.

Fully acknowledging many variables being at work, ignoring Jackson’s statistical decline since his historic 2019 — a level of efficiency that was always going to be next to impossible to duplicate — would be irresponsible. When preparing to hand out the richest contract in franchise history, the organization must weigh the factors out of his control — like the state of the running game and offensive line last year — against those for which he was more responsible. The Ravens know better than anyone they’ll gladly be handing him a blank check if he rebounds to lead them to their first Super Bowl in a decade this coming season, but how might their tone change if his 2022 more closely resembles the second half of his 2021 campaign? 

How would contract talks play out if next season brings a more modest rebound and additional playoff disappointment? Would Baltimore be less enthusiastic about a lucrative contract for a quarterback another year removed from his peak season and begin looking more carefully through the lens of how his unique playing style might age? Might Jackson wonder if the grass — or money — is greener elsewhere?

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In contrast to what most would have expected a year ago, more questions than answers persist regarding a long-term contract, but that’s hardly reason for panic. The Ravens are currently scheduled to pay their franchise quarterback at a rate ranking a very affordable 12th in the NFL in both cap dollars and cash spent in 2022. Meanwhile, Jackson will make more than twice his previous career earnings in the coming season alone and knows at least a lucrative franchise tag — which is just under $30 million for a quarterback this season — is in store for him even if there’s no agreement come next March.

Their timetables may not be on the same page, but everything the Ravens and Jackson have said publicly suggests they’re committed to each another. But the longer this continues, the more we have to wonder.

If not now, then when?