Baltimore Ravens star quarterback and former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson's absence from the team's OTAs and voluntary workouts was a concerning development for the fans, particularly amid stalled contract talks with the team. The Ravens have said that they tried to engage in contract extension talks with Jackson, who represents himself, though general manager Eric DeCosta said that the star quarterback “hasn't been interested” in the discussions.
Ravens fans received some great news on Monday, as Jackson reported to the team facility for the first time this offseason for a physical ahead of mandatory minicamp. After arriving, Jackson delivered a message that will make Baltimore fans even more excited, per the team's Twitter account.
Jackson said that he “hopes you're ready for the season” saying that he “surely is.” Perhaps the Ravens quarterback, who is due to be paid $23 million this season, would prefer to engage in contract talks coming off of a better season than his 2021 campaign.
Jackson appeared in 12 games last season, throwing for 2882 yards with 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while rushing for 767 yards. The Ravens star would have a much better chance of securing a large contract extension if he put together a season reminiscent of his 2019 MVP campaign.
That's undoubtedly exciting from an individual point of view. However, the Ravens, who dealt with a bevy of injuries as a team in 2021, should be a contender with improved health in 2022.
Jackson has plenty of reasons to be excited about the upcoming season.