Did Tom Brady's Patriots contract set Lamar Jackson back? Shannon Sharpe connects the dots
Lamar Jackson and his contract ordeal were given a new and interesting perspective by Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe. The co-host of the Fox Sports 1 show Undisputed compared the situation to when former Patriots star Tom Brady and Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes took lesser deals.
Sharpe explained that teams might not be willing to give the 2019 NFL MVP the contract he desires for that reason.
"He's arguably the best quarterback, the greatest quarterback currently playing. Other teams going to their quarterbacks and said, ’Well, look at him. You ain't got two MVPs'. You got two Super Bowl MVPs and he only makes this. How do we pay you that?
"Unfortunately, that's how they look at it because that was Tom [Brady] and they were like, 'hold on'. Tom took discount, discount, discount. They say, well, Tom only makes this. How can I pay you? More than Tom?"
In two decades with the New England Patriots, Tom Brady made almost $51 million in salary and nearly $113 million in signing bonuses. Patrick Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs in July 2020. The deal included a $10 million signing bonus and $141.5 million guaranteed.
The Chiefs star will earn a base salary of $5.5 million, a roster bonus of $22.4 million, and a restructure bonus of $12 million this upcoming season. Mahomes' contract is cap-friendly for Kansas City, but teams may fear that Lamar Jackson's projected deal might not be.
Jackson took to social media to clear the air, saying he sought a trade from the Baltimore Ravens earlier this month. Baltimore gave the non-exclusive tag to their quarterback this offseason, allowing him to speak to other teams.
A projected deal for Lamar Jackson
Trying to gauge what the former Heisman Trophy winner is seeking in a new contract isn't easy. However, former agent Joel Corry laid out the parameters of what a deal would look like for Jackson. According to Corry, a four-year, $210 million with $150 million guaranteed is an ideal contract for the quarterback.
Corry added some context to why the deal makes sense when it comes to the numbers:
"The $52.5 million average yearly salary is a slight bump over Rodgers' $50,271,667 per year. The 4.43 percent increase doesn't completely account for salary cap inflation. The salary cap is going up 7.97 percent from $208.2 million in 2022 to $224.8 million in 2023.
"When Rodgers' deal is adjusted for salary cap inflation, it averages a little more than $54.275 million per year."
As the offseason moves on, time will tell if either the Ravens or another team will make a move for Lamar Jackson.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Undisputed, CBS Sports, and H/T Sportskeeda.