As the Indianapolis Colts look for their next quarterback, trading for Lamar Jackson as the Baltimore Ravens has come up as one possibility. However, Colts owner Jim Irsay has a few issues that must be resolved before a Jackson trade is finalized.
Irsay has no issue with giving Jackson a large contract as, “money is not the issue,” via ESPN's Stephen Holder. Irsay's problem lies in giving Jackson a fully guaranteed contract, something the Colts owner is reluctant to do, via Zak Keefer of The Athletic.
“As an owner I do not believe in fully-guaranteed contracts,” Irsay said. “I think that a percentage is one thing, but from what I've seen from the NBA and baseball, I don't see it as a positive competitively.”
Much has been made about Jackson wanting a fully guaranteed contract as he looks for his next team. The Browns gave Deshaun Watson a guaranteed $250 million contract after his trade to Cleveland. Jackson turned down a lucrative extension with the Ravens as it only guaranteed $133 million.
While the Colts need a quarterback, and while Lamar Jackson would give Indianapolis a star, Irsay is reluctant to guarantee a majority of the contract. Furthermore, Indy would need to trade two first-round picks to land the former MVP due to the non-exclusive franchise tag placed on him. Jim Irsay understands the Colts would be giving up a lot of assets to acquire Jackson.
However, Indianapolis has been in quarterback purgatory. Holding the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL, they might be out of range to land Bryce Young or CJ Stroud. A trade for Jackson would help the Colts land the QB they desperately need.
But on Irsay's end, there are still problems. Both sides will need to come to an agreement before any trade is finalized.
Follow Us
Subscribe