Lamar Jackson took to twitter Monday to announce that he had requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens. Even with the request, Jackson has still been actively negotiating with the Ravens as recently as last week, reports NFL Network's Ian Rapoport per sources.
From NFL Now: While the Lamar Jackson trade request has been in, sources say he was actively negotiating with the #Ravens as recently as last week. pic.twitter.com/W0OadSUsz9
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 27, 2023
“My understanding is in the last week or so, Lamar Jackson has been actively negotiating with the Ravens on a deal, which leads me to believe the trade request is more about money, financials, versus any sort of fractured relationship.”
This insight aligns with the precedent that John Harbaugh established at the NFL owners meetings. He made it clear that he is excited about Jackson for the upcoming season and believes he will be the Ravens starting quarterback.
With all of this information being released simultaneously, it inevitably feels like a smoke screen to keep the truth hidden. As of now, the most likely outcome still looks to be a return to Baltimore for Jackson.
Jackson is currently allowed to negotiate with other teams after the Ravens placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on him. However, there have been no reports of any negotiations taking place besides the ones in Baltimore.
Whether he stays in Baltimore or not, a large chip looks to be growing on Jackson's shoulders. A substantial argument has been made against paying him the amount of guaranteed money he is most likely requesting. This will undoubtedly give him some added motivation. He will be going into the 2023 season ready to prove to the entire NFL that Lamar Jackson is worthy of setting his own price.
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