Baltimore's Jackson turned down a deal that would have ranked him 2nd ...

[Ian]

behind only Watson. I think that's a little crazy. Obviously the payoff if they franchise him after this season is significant, but no security beyond this season for a guy who runs with the football as often as he does is definitely risky. I don't know if it's worth whatever few million more he might get if he makes it through a 17 game season without incident, but I'm surprised - provided the reports are correct - he didn't accept the deal it appears they offered him.

 

[Pape]

Rumor was he wanted a guaranteed deal like Watson... Least I think that's what florio said iirc... Ravens were unwilling to guarantee the entire contract

 

[Bill Lee]

Some reporting:

Report: Lamar Jackson rejected $133 million fully guaranteed

It previously had been impossible to assess whether Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson should have taken the best offer the team made on a long-term contract, in lieu of playing in the final year of his rookie contract for $23 million.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com reports that Jackson passed on a six-year deal (i.e., a five-year extension) that would have paid him $133 million fully-guaranteed at signing. That’s more than Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray ($103.3 million) and Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson ($124 million) received in full guarantees on longer contracts (seven years each) signed in recent weeks.​

​

Jackson “could have earned” more than $290 million over six years. The new-money average would have exceeded, per Mortensen, the $48.5 million paid by the Broncos to Wilson. (Wilson’s deal was reported as having a new-money average of $49 million; as explained here, the failure to include the value of the 17th-game checks for 2022 and 2023 in the old/new-money comparison drove the average down to $48.5 million.)​

....​

None of that apparently matters, since Mortensen makes it clear that Jackson wanted a fully-guaranteed, Deshaun Watson-style contract. And, as surmised here, Mortensen reports that Jackson received “active counsel from the NFLPA at the highest levels.” Mortensen also adds that the union told Jackson “based on performance and age (25) he was justified to demand a fully guaranteed contract if that’s what he wanted.”​

​

He’s justified to demand it, but the Ravens are justified to refuse to do it, just as the Cardinals and Broncos were. Remember, the union has made its position clear that it wants more fully-guaranteed contracts. It’s therefore fair to ask whether the NFLPA’s agenda in this regard clouded the advice Jackson received, causing him to roll the dice on a potential Kirk Cousins-style, year-to-year strategy that entails playing in 2023 and 2024 under the franchise tag, becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2025, and trying to get a fully-guaranteed contract on the open market.​

I wonder why Florio is giving the pro-owner, anti-union slant to his coverage? The only way for players to get fully guaranteed contracts is for a star player to do what Jackson is doing. The fact that a mediocre talent like Cousins got the deal he got shows what potential there would be for Jackson in a true free agency situation. Making him play under-market in 2023 and perhaps even 2024 will show the unfairness of the franchise tag and make that a major issue going forward.​

​

There's so much pressure for Jackson to shut up and take the money. He's doing a lot for himself and for future players by not doing so. The dude is already banking huge coin, he's already set for life. The owners don't understand what he's doing because they don't know what it's like to take a stand on principal. They'd all just take the money. The only way they know how to value things is based on dollars. Some people are wired differently.​

 

[Pape]

Some reporting:

Report: Lamar Jackson rejected $133 million fully guaranteed

It previously had been impossible to assess whether Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson should have taken the best offer the team made on a long-term contract, in lieu of playing in the final year of his rookie contract for $23 million.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com reports that Jackson passed on a six-year deal (i.e., a five-year extension) that would have paid him $133 million fully-guaranteed at signing. That’s more than Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray ($103.3 million) and Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson ($124 million) received in full guarantees on longer contracts (seven years each) signed in recent weeks.​

​

Jackson “could have earned” more than $290 million over six years. The new-money average would have exceeded, per Mortensen, the $48.5 million paid by the Broncos to Wilson. (Wilson’s deal was reported as having a new-money average of $49 million; as explained here, the failure to include the value of the 17th-game checks for 2022 and 2023 in the old/new-money comparison drove the average down to $48.5 million.)​

....​

None of that apparently matters, since Mortensen makes it clear that Jackson wanted a fully-guaranteed, Deshaun Watson-style contract. And, as surmised here, Mortensen reports that Jackson received “active counsel from the NFLPA at the highest levels.” Mortensen also adds that the union told Jackson “based on performance and age (25) he was justified to demand a fully guaranteed contract if that’s what he wanted.”​

​

He’s justified to demand it, but the Ravens are justified to refuse to do it, just as the Cardinals and Broncos were. Remember, the union has made its position clear that it wants more fully-guaranteed contracts. It’s therefore fair to ask whether the NFLPA’s agenda in this regard clouded the advice Jackson received, causing him to roll the dice on a potential Kirk Cousins-style, year-to-year strategy that entails playing in 2023 and 2024 under the franchise tag, becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2025, and trying to get a fully-guaranteed contract on the open market.​

​

I wonder why Florio is giving the pro-owner, anti-union slant to his coverage? The only way for players to get fully guaranteed contracts is for a star player to do what Jackson is doing. The fact that a mediocre talent like Cousins got the deal he got shows what potential there would be for Jackson in a true free agency situation. Making him play under-market in 2023 and perhaps even 2024 will show the unfairness of the franchise tag and make that a major issue going forward.​

​

There's so much pressure for Jackson to shut up and take the money. He's doing a lot for himself and for future players by not doing so. The dude is already banking huge coin, he's already set for life. The owners don't understand what he's doing because they don't know what it's like to take a stand on principal. They'd all just take the money. The only way they know how to value things is based on dollars. Some people are wired differently.​

i think florios stance is simple - take the money because its one injury and this could all go away... him pushing for a fully guaranteed deal sounds more like a hill to die on if you are the union- they got nothing to lose... Jackson on the other hand has literally walked away from 130 million guaranteed life changing dollars because the union would like to see more guaranteed money in the deal...

Lamar Jackson needs an agent and hes an idiot for not having one... penny wise, pound foolish... He should be relying on the advice of someone solely on his side...

 

[Boomer B]

i think florios stance is simple - take the money because its one injury and this could all go away... him pushing for a fully guaranteed deal sounds more like a hill to die on if you are the union- they got nothing to lose... Jackson on the other hand has literally walked away from 130 million guaranteed life changing dollars because the union would like to see more guaranteed money in the deal...

Lamar Jackson needs an agent and hes an idiot for not having one... penny wise, pound foolish... He should be relying on the advice of someone solely on his side...

Exactly. Jackson plays the position like a RB and RBs don’t last long in the NFL. I can see it from the Ravens position as well. As a franchise would you want to fully guarantee a contract when the player has a high chance of injury? Jackson turned down a life altering guarantee of money for himself, his future kids, their future kids, ….

 

[RobertWeathers]

LJ is not thinking clearly.

 

[Zuma]

Up to this point he made ok decisions regarding contracts but this is just stupid.

 

[h0c2000]

Would the Ravens even have that amount of money 250+M laying around to put into escrow for that contract?

 

[Guts]

LJ will regret not signing that.

 

[Ring 6]

Some reporting:

Report: Lamar Jackson rejected $133 million fully guaranteed

It previously had been impossible to assess whether Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson should have taken the best offer the team made on a long-term contract, in lieu of playing in the final year of his rookie contract for $23 million.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com reports that Jackson passed on a six-year deal (i.e., a five-year extension) that would have paid him $133 million fully-guaranteed at signing. That’s more than Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray ($103.3 million) and Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson ($124 million) received in full guarantees on longer contracts (seven years each) signed in recent weeks.​

​

Jackson “could have earned” more than $290 million over six years. The new-money average would have exceeded, per Mortensen, the $48.5 million paid by the Broncos to Wilson. (Wilson’s deal was reported as having a new-money average of $49 million; as explained here, the failure to include the value of the 17th-game checks for 2022 and 2023 in the old/new-money comparison drove the average down to $48.5 million.)​

....​

None of that apparently matters, since Mortensen makes it clear that Jackson wanted a fully-guaranteed, Deshaun Watson-style contract. And, as surmised here, Mortensen reports that Jackson received “active counsel from the NFLPA at the highest levels.” Mortensen also adds that the union told Jackson “based on performance and age (25) he was justified to demand a fully guaranteed contract if that’s what he wanted.”​

​

He’s justified to demand it, but the Ravens are justified to refuse to do it, just as the Cardinals and Broncos were. Remember, the union has made its position clear that it wants more fully-guaranteed contracts. It’s therefore fair to ask whether the NFLPA’s agenda in this regard clouded the advice Jackson received, causing him to roll the dice on a potential Kirk Cousins-style, year-to-year strategy that entails playing in 2023 and 2024 under the franchise tag, becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2025, and trying to get a fully-guaranteed contract on the open market.​

​

I wonder why Florio is giving the pro-owner, anti-union slant to his coverage? The only way for players to get fully guaranteed contracts is for a star player to do what Jackson is doing. The fact that a mediocre talent like Cousins got the deal he got shows what potential there would be for Jackson in a true free agency situation. Making him play under-market in 2023 and perhaps even 2024 will show the unfairness of the franchise tag and make that a major issue going forward.​

​

There's so much pressure for Jackson to shut up and take the money. He's doing a lot for himself and for future players by not doing so. The dude is already banking huge coin, he's already set for life. The owners don't understand what he's doing because they don't know what it's like to take a stand on principal. They'd all just take the money. The only way they know how to value things is based on dollars. Some people are wired differently.​

The NFLPA should be careful what it asks for. With a cap more guaranteed $$ for QBs = less money for everyone else and every dollar of guarantee eaten when the player gets old, injured or ineffective comes out of the pocket of an active player.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Does anybody know if rookies can ask in their rookie deals that a team can’t Franchise them when their deal expires? I ask because the Ravens are clearly in the drivers seat in this negotiation and can drag this out for a couple more years.

 

[Bill Lee]

i think florios stance is simple - take the money because its one injury and this could all go away... him pushing for a fully guaranteed deal sounds more like a hill to die on if you are the union- they got nothing to lose... Jackson on the other hand has literally walked away from 130 million guaranteed life changing dollars because the union would like to see more guaranteed money in the deal...

Yes, I get it, that's the conventional way of thinking. However, Lamar's not going down that path, and it's interesting to ask why that is.

Florio's suggestion that it's just because he's carrying water for the union doesn't ring true to me. Lamar doesn't strike me as a water carrier.

Personally, I think it is more about Lamar's own thought processes are in line with the union's, and are in line with the general idea of player empowerment, and in line with the idea that he'll probably make even more money overall if he gets to free agency, and he's willing to take the injury risk.

Personally, I don't think the union has the kind of sway over people that Florio likes to suggest. He just says that to trigger certain people.

Lamar has already got $27.5M guaranteed for this season, and $33.5M already in career earnings ( ref: Lamar Jackson Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History | Over The Cap ). That already is life changing money.

The $130M guaranteed in BAL's numbers already includes the $27.5M he is already guaranteed, typical agent-biased reporting. Massage Man got $240M in actual new guarantees, BAL's offer falls far short of that.

Next year if they tag him it's $45M or more depending on the cap increases, guaranteed the day he signs the tag. The year after that, projections say it'd be $55M guaranteed.

So, he's on track for the $130M in guarantees if he just stays with BAL, so they are really doing nothing to sweeten the pot.

To get that $130M in guarantees he's already on track for now, Florio's report says he gives BAL six years of control!

Personally, if he's already on track to get $55M guaranteed in 2024, we could easily see the free market giving him $60M+ in 2025.



I get it, he is taking the injury risk, but it's not as clear-cut as Florio makes it out to be. The current offer isn't as great as Florio makes it out to be (it's chalk). There is a big upside for Jackson himself if he makes it to free agency.

The big downside of taking the current offer is giving BAL six years of control, something Florio barely mentions. Given cap increases due to incoming media deals, in two seasons the QB market will be even bigger than it currently is. Add to that mix a free agent, some desperate team is bound to offer him huge bucks. If he gives the team control, they use the contract as leverage to negotiate with him exclusively if he is under paid. It's a big win for the team.

Given how protected QBs are, the injury risk is overdone. Prescott plays a similar style, had a major injury and still got paid. JG got injured, is still getting paid prime backup $$$ with QB1 money if he starts, and will be a FA next season. All good outcomes.

Our own JG threads covered the topic of injury insurance. Almost certainly he's carrying some so it's not like he gets $0 if he gets injured. Again, something Florio doesn't mention.

 

[Jim Beankie]

LJ will regret not signing that.

Sprewell-esque.

 

[Pape]

Yes, I get it, that's the conventional way of thinking. However, Lamar's not going down that path, and it's interesting to ask why that is.

Florio's suggestion that it's just because he's carrying water for the union doesn't ring true to me. Lamar doesn't strike me as a water carrier.

Personally, I think it is more about Lamar's own thought processes are in line with the union's, and are in line with the general idea of player empowerment, and in line with the idea that he'll probably make even more money overall if he gets to free agency, and he's willing to take the injury risk.

Personally, I don't think the union has the kind of sway over people that Florio likes to suggest. He just says that to trigger certain people.

Lamar has already got $27.5M guaranteed for this season, and $33.5M already in career earnings ( ref: Lamar Jackson Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History | Over The Cap ). That already is life changing money.

The $130M guaranteed in BAL's numbers already includes the $27.5M he is already guaranteed, typical agent-biased reporting. Massage Man got $240M in actual new guarantees, BAL's offer falls far short of that.

Next year if they tag him it's $45M or more depending on the cap increases, guaranteed the day he signs the tag. The year after that, projections say it'd be $55M guaranteed.

So, he's on track for the $130M in guarantees if he just stays with BAL, so they are really doing nothing to sweeten the pot.

To get that $130M in guarantees he's already on track for now, Florio's report says he gives BAL six years of control!

Personally, if he's already on track to get $55M guaranteed in 2024, we could easily see the free market giving him $60M+ in 2025.



I get it, he is taking the injury risk, but it's not as clear-cut as Florio makes it out to be. The current offer isn't as great as Florio makes it out to be (it's chalk). There is a big upside for Jackson himself if he makes it to free agency.

The big downside of taking the current offer is giving BAL six years of control, something Florio barely mentions. Given cap increases due to incoming media deals, in two seasons the QB market will be even bigger than it currently is. Add to that mix a free agent, some desperate team is bound to offer him huge bucks. If he gives the team control, they use the contract as leverage to negotiate with him exclusively if he is under paid. It's a big win for the team.

Given how protected QBs are, the injury risk is overdone. Prescott plays a similar style, had a major injury and still got paid. JG got injured, is still getting paid prime backup $$$ with QB1 money if he starts, and will be a FA next season. All good outcomes.

Our own JG threads covered the topic of injury insurance. Almost certainly he's carrying some so it's not like he gets $0 if he gets injured. Again, something Florio doesn't mention.

Until the role of the NFLPA advisors are defined, it's difficult to just put this drive for a fully guaranteed deal on Lamar.

I need to re-read what the proposed terms are before commenting further... Will do when I'm in front of my computer... Easier for me compared to the phone...

But I will reiterate - he should have an agent... An advisor he knows is working for him, and him alone.

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

 

[BaconGrundleCandy]

Lamar is playing a dangerous game but he's always bet on himself and bet big. Also he could suffer a season ending injury tomorrow, come back healthy and still get paid. Nowhere near as good but he'll get paid as long as he can play. The Ravens on the other hand will be picking in the lottery until they hit the lottery again. Maybe they will, maybe they won't but Lamar is the Ravens right now. So I don't think they have any leverage at all. They can franchise him but they'll still be sweating just as much. Good for Lamar go get paid.

 

[Patriot Missile]

Sprewell-esque.

I doubt half of the board under the age of 30 even know who he is.