Lamar Jackson has shown NFL superstars they can earn fortunes without an agent
Lamar Jackson is taking a unique approach to negotiating his next NFL deal with the Baltimore Ravens. That approach involves simply doing nothing and letting the market play out.
The quarterback is acting as his own agent. That may cause some fans to think he doesn't know what he is doing. A closer look, however, proves he does, in fact, know what he is doing.
He could have rushed to get a deal done and likely landed one at or near what Josh Allen got. That was a six-year, $258 million deal with $150 million guaranteed. That is life-changing money and would have been fantastic.
By waiting, he can now point towards Deshaun Watson's fully-guaranteed $230 million deal with the Cleveland Browns. An offer of anything less could be considered insulting.
Lamar Jackson explains why he will not be hiring an NFL agent. https://t.co/yoGtWyI4Y2
He did not need an agent to give him this advice. The young quarterback did it on his own and is providing evidence that top players can do just fine without an agent.
Lamar Jackson may start a big NFL trend
There was some backlash in the recent past when Richard Sherman represented himself. However, he did so near the end of his career, and he was never going to command big money.
Jackson, meanwhile, is in his prime and is going on his first lucrative NFL deal. That means, with or without an agent, the figure will be astronomical.
But here is where he is an even bigger winner. Let's say, for example, an agent would take three percent of a deal. For a $230 million deal, that is nearly seven million dollars. That alone is a large fortune.
By representing himself in his peak years, Jackson has all the power. The Ravens must negotiate with him directly, and no agent is going to convince him to take anything less than what he believes he is worth. Even if the Ravens balk, his phone will be ringing with other offers in 2023.
I love my Ravens I don’t know who the hell putting that false narrative out that I’m having thoughts about leaving stop tryna read my mind🙄
It will be fascinating to see if other players take this route. There are obvious advantages to having an agent, but Jackson is also in a position where he can take a bit of a team-friendly deal, knowing he is not paying any fees.
The only caveat to this trend is that it is much easier for star players to do. A lower-tier player may end up losing money without an agent, if the demand for their services is low. Someone like Jackson has it easier. All he has to do is highlight other contracts and demand the same. That is the luxury of being a former MVP.
The next question is, when will Jackson call the Ravens and get a deal done? Waiting has worked so far, so he may keep that strategy going to put pressure on the team as training camp approaches.
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