Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens reach 5-year, $260 million deal

[True Dough]

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- In a span of a month, quarterback Lamar Jackson went from wanting out of Baltimore to signing the largest deal in Ravens history.

Consider it another one of Jackson's jaw-dropping spin moves. After 27 months of challenging negotiations, Jackson reached a five-year deal with the Ravens on Thursday, the team announced.

The agreement is worth $260 million, a source told ESPN, making Jackson the highest-paid player in the league at $52 million per year. It includes $185 million in guaranteed money, the source said. Sources previously said Jackson was seeking the $230 million in guaranteed money that Deshaun Watson got from the Cleveland Browns last year.

Jackson, who represented himself in the negotiations, landed his deal 10 days after Jalen Hurts signed a five-year contract extension for $255 million, including $180 million guaranteed. The agreement also came shortly before the start of the NFL draft, when the Ravens could have selected a quarterback in the first round.


https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/36305705/sources-lamar-jackson-ravens-progressing-extension-talks

[True Dough]

1. Sounds like he's ready to go...

Link to tweet

[brush]

2. Well done. I see Jackson has a firm grip on numbers/money...

Last edited Thu Apr 27, 2023, 05:25 PM - Edit history (2)

and won't be one of those former athletes who go broke 5 years after retiring.

By negotiating this himself with no agent fee of 3%, he saves himself around 9 million dollars or so, which alone is a good amount that most people would be happy with.

[True Dough]

3. I heard quite a few sports pundits

who were highly critical of Lamar for not having an agent. Now he gets the last laugh!

[brush]

4. Yep, he's a good negotiator. Starting from an intial ask of at least...

a match of what Cleveland paid Deshaun Watson and being steadfast about it until the Ravens cracked and offered 260m, 187m guaranteed, making him the highest paid player in the league...that is until the next high-profile QB gets his deal done — with an agent probably. Then Jackson will still be he highest paid because he didn't cough up an agent's fee.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. He May Be

But, he didn't need to be.
He had all the leverage. He doesn't live like Nero, so the money he's already made has piled up nicely.
The Ravens have built their team around & based their offensive philosophy on Lamar.
Lamar is a fan favorite.
He didn't NEED to sign that tag tender.
The Ravens NEEDED him on this team. The fans would have revolted if they traded him.
He may in fact be a good negotiator, but this was more a case of a good poker player having a full house not biting on a straight flush bluff. He had the cards. He just refused to fold.

[brush]

6. Right, good poker players don't fold easily.

Last edited Thu Apr 27, 2023, 07:11 PM - Edit history (1)

But they weren't playing poker, they were negotiating for hundreds of millions of dollars. Lemar wisely signaled he wasn't going to play on the franchise tag, then asked to be traded, holding his ground.

Finally the Ravens broke and agreed to a contract of 260m. What a haul. Jackson walks away with 260m without hiring an agent.I'd say that's good negotiating.