The immediate future of the Baltimore Ravens is hanging in the air as everyone awaits what happens with quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is a free agent.
Jackson has been demanding a large amount of money for several months, yet he and the team haven’t come close to agreeing on the terms of a new contract.
NFL analyst and insider Ian Rapoport said on Monday that if a new deal isn’t agreed to by Tuesday, the Ravens will place a franchise tag on Jackson so that they can keep him in the fold for the 2023 season.
From @NFLTotalAccess: The #Ravens are trying, but a deal for QB Lamar Jackson doesn’t appear on the horizon. It’ll be the tag. pic.twitter.com/zPxUba3VqJ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 7, 2023
Jackson is one of the NFL’s best dual-threat quarterbacks, and his talent, especially when it comes to moving the chains with his legs, is undeniable.
However, he is somewhat underwhelming as a passing threat, and there is also concern about his durability.
Jackson missed the last five games of the 2022 campaign, plus Baltimore’s playoff game, with a sprained PCL, and he was out for five games in 2021 due to an ankle injury.
The team offered him a lucrative extension just several months ago that would’ve been on par with the new deals Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers recently received.
Keeping Jackson in Baltimore will mean the difference between having the hope of being competitive and starting what could be a protracted rebuilding process.
The Ravens have other needs throughout their roster, particularly at wide receiver, and caving in to something close to Jackson’s full demands could greatly handicap their efforts to address those other needs.
