3 reasons why the Baltimore Ravens should avoid giving Lamar Jackson a Josh Allen-sized extension
No one was happier than Lamar Jackson when news broke that Josh Allen had received a new contract extension. Allen and the Buffalo Bills recently agreed on a huge six-year, $258 million extension with $150 million guaranteed.
Why does that make Jackson happy? Simply put, the Allen extension now sets the bar for Jackson and his own contract extension negotiations with the Baltimore Ravens.
Coming into the 2021 offseason, three quarterbacks from the 2018 nfl-draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">NFL Draft were eligible for an extension: Allen, Jackson, and Baker Mayfield. Now that Allen has inked his extension, it leaves Jackson and Mayfield still in negotiations with their respective teams.
Jackson, more so than Mayfield, is expected to receive an extension similar to that of Allen. It seems only a matter of time.
That said, while Jackson is more than deserving of a new contract extension, the Ravens should do their best to avoid giving him the same gigantic extension Allen received. Here's why.
Why the Baltimore Ravens should avoid giving Lamar Jackson the same extension as Josh Allen
#1 - Lack of playoff success
Granted, Jackson is still young and is more than capable of improving his postseason play, but as it stands, the lack of playoff success is troubling.
Jackson has been in the playoffs in each of his three seasons in the NFL. In those playoff appearances, Jackson has a 1-3 record.
Even more concerning is how Jackson has performed in those four games. In his playoff career, Jackson has thrown for a combined 900 yards with only three touchdowns and five interceptions. His completion percentage in playoff games is a lowly 55.9%.
It would have been a lot easier for the Ravens to give Jackson an Allen-esque extension if he had proven playoff success. Without that success, it's a bit harder to justify a contract of that size.
Take Allen, for example. His first two seasons in the NFL weren't all that great, but his third season in the NFL culminated in MVP-like numbers and a trip to the AFC Championship game.
Garnering that playoff success gave the Bills confidence that Allen is a big-time playoff performer. As of now, the Ravens simply don't have that evidence with Jackson.
Again, Jackson has done some incredible things in this league and he should get paid a lot of money, but until he wins in the playoffs, there should be a bit of trepidation to make him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league.
#2 - He can't carry an offense solely with his arm
Jackson is the best dual-threat quarterback in the NFL. There's no debating that. He's electric when running the ball and he can be productive when passing the ball, too.
That said, Jackson isn't able to carry an offense with his arm like some of the other top quarterbacks in the NFL. Guys like Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and Deshaun Watson can single-handedly win their teams the game by throwing the ball.
With the NFL becoming more and more a passing league, it's never been more important to be able to take over a game through the air. Jackson just doesn't have that ability right now. That doesn't mean he's not a top-ten quarterback, because he is, but it does limit his value somewhat.
Specifically, when entering the playoffs, it's important to have a quarterback who can be an elite passer. Until Jackson can come close to that level, the Ravens should avoid paying him top quarterback dollar.
#3 - Greater injury risk involved as a running quarterback
To be fair to Jackson, he's rarely ever been injured throughout his NFL career and even if he was, injuries aren't something he can control.
Still, it's an unfortunate reality that someone like Jackson, who runs the ball a lot, has a greater risk of injury than others who stay in the pocket.
Baltimore giving Jackson a contract extension like Allen's places the ultimate trust that Jackson can stay healthy. With the way he plays the game, it's a risky investment, not to mention it handicaps them a little in fleshing out the roster in the future.
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