Here we are, in the soap opera called the NFL offseason. One of the biggest storylines being followed is whether or not quarterback Lamar Jackson could agree to a long-term deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
We got our answer Tuesday (at least for now), as news came down the Ravens hit Jackson with the non-exclusive franchise tag.
After the announcement was made about the decision, general manager Eric DeCosta released a statement explaining why this choice was made, and what it could mean going forward.
Per DeCosta (via the Ravens' Twitter page): “Having not yet reached a long-term deal with Lamar Jackson, we will use the franchise tag. There have been many instances across the league and in Baltimore when a player has been designated with the franchise tag and signed a long-term deal that same year. We will continue to negotiate in good faith with Lamar, and we are hopeful that we can strike a long-term deal that is fair to both Lamar and the Ravens.”
The news of Jackson getting a franchise tag probably isn't shocking, considering reports said the two sides remain far apart on a contract agreement. With that said, this statement from DeCosta is putting a good face on what could be a messy situation.
If we were to take a closer look at the Ravens' Twitter page, one could think the Jackson news is good on all fronts.
We have used the franchise tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson. pic.twitter.com/AHrqyCgcAI
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) March 7, 2023
Nothing against the people who run the page, but it's not like championships were won, or Jackson was re-signed.
If Baltimore wants to keep winning, they should strongly consider keeping Jackson. The Ravens are 45-16 in games he has started, and 8-13 in the games he hasn't. A good amount of the games Jackson has missed were down the stretch of the last two seasons, both which saw the team struggle to the finish line.
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