After a tumultuous offseason that consisted of back-and-forth negotiations, the Baltimore Ravens and franchise superstar Lamar Jackson were unable to come to an agreement on a contract extension. As a result of this, Jackson will be playing out the 2022-23 NFL year on an expiring contract opening up all kinds of exciting possibilities heading into the 2023 offseason.
Hoping to continually prove his worth and earn a major payday, Jackson will definitely be weighing his options throughout the year. The good news for the Ravens is that they and Jackson do feel that both sides want to come to terms on a deal. In what capacity he'll return to the team still remains though.
If they still cannot come to an agreement on terms heading into next summer, then the Ravens may be forced to franchise tag him. However, there's also the possibility that Jackson seeks a new home after the 2022 NFL campaign. So with all this in the fold, let's take a look at the two best scenarios for Baltimore if they don't franchise tag Lamar Jackson next summer.
Best scenarios for Ravens if they don't franchise tag Lamar Jackson
2) Find a sign-and-trade scenario for Lamar Jackson
In the case that Jackson winds up having a down year for the Ravens or rather both sides truly cannot come to an agreement on a new deal, a sign-and-trade scenario could be the next best course of action. There's no doubt that Jackson will have his fair share of suitors next offseason and Baltimore would be keen on a killer return if they plan on trading away a superstar talent of Jackson's caliber.
This may not be the easiest deal for them to maneuver, but with the right trade partner/s and assets in place, moving Jackson may not be all to challenging. On the other hand, the Ravens will be doing everything in their power to avoid having to do this next summer. Unfortunately for them, there are no guarantees in this league and Jackson may opt to join a team that will meet his demands financially. So only time will tell how this all pans out. Of course this is also assuming they decide to not franchise tag him either.
1) Sign their franchise quarterback to a long-term deal
Realistically, bringing back Lamar Jackson is in their best interest and signing him to a long-term deal would make the most sense. At the moment, Jackson and the Ravens are on good terms and it does seem like both sides want to come to terms on a new contract. Plus with Action Jackson being the best dual-threat quarterback in the game, it'd be a huge mistake to not ink him to a long-term deal. Baltimore knows where they stand with Jackson as their signal caller and firmly believe that their best chance to compete is with him in the pocket.
So it'll be on the Ravens to figure out a way to please their franchise superstar who does it all for them on offense. Between his arm strength, accuracy, speed, mobility, and QB vision, Jackson has a unique set of skills that can never be overlooked. For the Ravens, this is what they absolutely must consider when feeling hesitant about highly compensating a player they feel may not be worthy of a max deal.
They should also remember though that Jackson is still just 25 years old and it wasn't all that long ago that Jackson was a unanimous NFL MVP. In due time, he's bound to win a Super Bowl or two for the Ravens as well. Having said all this, signing Jackson to a long-term contract should be a no-brainer for Baltimore.
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