Getty Image / G Fiume
For more than a year, the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson have struggled to come to terms on a long-term contract.
Right now, Jackson is looking at either playing the 2023 season on the non-exclusive franchise tag or holding out if he can’t get a new contract out of the Ravens, but there may be some new hope that a deal can get done.
It seems that the Baltimore Ravens recently made a move because Jackson wanted them to make it.
According to former NFL executive Michael Lombardi, Jackson demanded that the Ravens pursue Odell Beckham Jr and DeAndre Hopkins.
Former NFL executive Michael Lombardi: "I was told reliably by somebody who is involved that Lamar [Jackson] told [the Ravens] in a conversation, ‘Get Hopkins and get Beckham, and then we can talk.’ And the club went back to him and said, ‘Look, we can't get Hopkins and Beckham.… pic.twitter.com/B9IXmNAM9P
— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) April 14, 2023
Lombardi added that the Ravens told Jackson that they couldn’t get both, but they would try to get him one.
That one ended up being Beckham Jr, who they signed to a 1-year deal worth $15 million that has incentives which could bring it up to 18 million.
Now that they’ve gotten Jackson one of the receivers he wanted after giving him limited options at the position in the past, maybe Jackson and the Ravens will start negotiating on a new deal again.
With Jackson giving the Ravens a way to convince him to stick around and the Ravens actually making it happen seem to indicate that both sides want this saga to end with Jackson staying in Baltimore.
It remains to be seen whether Lamar Jackson would be willing to play on the tag this season if he still can’t reach a long-term deal with the Ravens.
That will surely be something they’re working on in the near future and maybe Baltimore Ravens fans will get to stop worrying about their team’s quarterback situation soon.