What will happen with Lamar Jackson in the offseason? The Baltimore Ravens quarterback was slapped with the non-exclusive tag in the offseason, keeping him with the team for now. However, other teams are able to acquire the star QB via trade if Baltimore decides to move on. Amid all the trade rumors and “collusion” talks, Lamar Jackson said that he'll be airing a special interview that will premiere soon.
Jackson has long made his intentions clear: he wants to be paid like a true star in the NFL. There are disputes about what contract he wants, but he has gone on record saying that the Ravens offered him a three-year deal at best. Jackson clearly prefers signing a larger contract (and a contract with more guaranteed money, presumably).
As of now, talks about a potential Lamar Jackson trade have not gained traction (unlike another impending QB trade). While some might scream “collusion,” there's another possible reasonable answer for that: teams are balking at the rumors of the Ravens star's desired contracts. Guaranteed money is a boon for NFL owners, and the Browns' Deshaun Watson contract have made teams more wary of a guaranteed contract.
Then again, Jackson would probably be a better candidate for a fully guaranteed contract than Watson. He has injury concerns, but he has also consistently played for every season and is generally healthy for the most part. The Ravens star is also more accomplished and has a better track record than Watson. Oh, and Jackson has never had sexual harassment lawsuits hanging over him.
We'll see if the Ravens end up with a Lamar Jackson trade or if the QB stays in Baltimore for one more year, at least.