Over the weekend, a report surfaced and claimed that the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson were “far apart” in contract negotiations. However, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, there wasn't any talk happening between the two sides, to begin with.
In reality, Jackson's stance regarding the current situation is still uncertain to many. It hasn't been known whether or not the 2019 NFL MVP will bring an agent to represent him once the negotiations with the team begin.
Heading to his fourth campaign in the league, the former first-round pick of the Ravens is set to earn $1.77 million in the 2021 NFL season under his slotted contract for the 32nd pick in the draft. Given that Jackson already made a Pro Bowl appearance in his first three seasons in the league, his fifth-year option will serve as his quarterback transition tender in 2021.
For the 2020 season, the transition tender was tagged at $21.749 million. Due to the lowered cap space for next season, the 2021 transition tender will drop down to around $20 million only. This number will have to be accounted for whenever the Ravens start discussing the terms of Jackson's new contract.
Considering how the 24-year-old gunslinger has been performing in recent years, it is safe to say that he has already earned himself enough leverage to land a lucrative contract. However, the Ravens must also be wary of their current situation with Jackson as both Carson Wentz and Jared Goff eventually found their way out of their respective teams after previously signing huge extensions.
The upcoming offseason will definitely be a challenge for the team's decision-makers as they seek to reward Lamar Jackson for his contributions while also maintaining enough financial flexibility in the years to come.
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