Jalen Hurts $255M extension has put Ravens on hot seat, claims former NFL GM - "We're going to find out if Baltimore really wants to sign Lamar Jackson”
The Philadelphia Eagles and Jalen Hurts on Monday agreed to a five-year, $255 million contract, which now puts the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson on the clock.
After contract negotiations have been dragging on for the best part of two seasons, now that quarterbacks are getting "the bag," the Ravens need to come to the party.
Former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi said on "The Pat McAfee Show" that the NFL world will now see if the Ravens are serious about signing Jackson to a long-term deal:
“We're going to find out if Baltimore really wants to sign Lamar. That’s what we’re going to find out now. Do they really want to sign him or they just want him to play on the tender? We're going to find that out because to me, look, they signed Odell Beckham because that's what Lamar said. Lamar said, 'I want hopkins" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Hopkins or Beckham.'”
"Lamar Jackson wanted DHop or Beckham..
The Ravens needed to show something to Lamar that they were gonna have a receiving core around him" ~ @mlombardiNFL
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The biggest wedge in a deal with Lamar and the Ravens has been the quarterback's reported desire to have a fully guaranteed contract. But now with Hurts and Kyler Murray both not getting that, maybe Jackson needs to re-evaluate his stance.
Will Ravens sign Lamar Jackson long term?
The hope is that the Ravens sign Jackson to a long-term deal. With Baltimore publicly saying all the right things, there seems to be a want to sign Lamar. But the longer it goes without Jackson putting pen to paper, the less likely it is to happen, according to some.
Other quarterbacks have gotten improved deals, and none have been fully guaranteed contracts. As Lombardi said, Lamar wanted either DeAndre Hopkins or Odell Beckham Jr., and the Ravens obliged.
That is a sign of faith that Baltimore is trying to do right by Jackson ... but a new contract must be forthcoming.
The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the Ravens offered Jackson a contract that will see him make $200 million fully guaranteed last season, yet that was knocked back by Lamar.
"The deal that the Ravens offered Lamar Jackson was pretty strong..
$200M was the total guaranteed and the $133M was guaranteed on a shorter deal"
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So, it appears that Lamar Jackson wants more than that and the Ravens at the time of writing aren't willing to budge. With Hurts signing on for five years at $255 million, surely that is the floor when Lamar Jackson comes to the negotiating table.
The Ravens need to show that they are willing to sign Lamar Jackson to a long-term contract, and if the total guarantees need to be more than Hurts', then so be it.
But this contract saga doesn't seem like it is ending soon.