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- Lamar Jackson is one of the NFL’s most talented young signal-callers.
- The 25-year-old already has an MVP award and three postseason appearances under his belt.
- Despite his accolades, the Ravens have yet to sign Jackson to a new contract.
NFL reporter Mike Garafolo said on the NFL Network on Friday that former league MVP Lamar Jackson didn’t “even reply” to the Baltimore Ravens’ latest contract offer. The 25-year-old signal-caller is still signed to his rookie contract despite being named the National Football League’s most valuable player back in 2019.
Signed to a four-year, $9.5 million contract, the Ravens elected to exercise the fifth-year option on Jackson’s deal in April of 2021. After making just $1.7 million last season, Jackson will reportedly earn $23 million for the upcoming 2022 season, according to Spotrac.
Mike Garafolo just said on NFL Network that Lamar doesn’t even respond to the Ravens’ inquiries about his contract at this point.
— Ron (@_QuoththeRavens) March 11, 2022
— Ron (@_QuoththeRavens) March 11, 2022
Jackson, drafted by the Ravens with the 32nd pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, has completed 64% of his passes for 9,967 yards, 84 touchdowns, and 31 interceptions, and has rushed 615 times for 3,673 yards and 21 touchdowns during his four-year career. The dual-threat weapon certainly has a strong case for deserving a massive contract as he not only has a 37-12 record as a starter, but he’s also the first QB in league history to rack up 35 career wins before the age of 25.
While the Ravens — who finished last in the AFC North with an 8-9 record — missed out on the playoffs this year, Jackson had previously led Baltimore to the postseason in each of his first three seasons. The road to the Super Bowl has certainly gotten more difficult in recent years, though, as the AFC is now loaded with QB talent. In addition to Jackson, the AFC also features the game-changing talents of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Russell Wilson, and Derek Carr. There are even young up-and-comers such as Tua Tagovailoa, Mac Jones, Trevor Lawrence, and Zac Wilson who could prove to be postseason threats in the coming years.
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