“This is a very different negotiation” - NFL analyst warns to expect the unexpected in Lamar Jackson contract negotiation
Kyler Murray and Lamar Jackson are two of the last big stars in range of getting massive new deals this summer. This spring, Kyler Murray has been approaching the Cardinals and getting shrugged away, while Lamar Jackson has been getting approached by the Ravens.
By any metric, the Jackson-Ravens deal is an unconventional beast, according to, at least, one NFL analyst.
Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, NFL analyst Albert Breer explained the tough situation the Ravens find themselves in:
"Yeah, I don't think very many people do, Rich, and I think that's really intentional. This is a very different negotiation. If you talk to Ravens people who are involved in this, what you'd find is the circle is very, very small, and this is being treated very delicately."
He continued, explaining that there could be a few weeks "where things aren't great":
"And the main reason why is there is no agent shepherding the process. And generally, if you get to a conventional negotiation with a player, there is a process of feeling out. Feelings might get hurt. You know, like one side comes in too high, the other side comes in too low. And there might be a period of a few weeks where things aren't great."
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He went on to explain that the Ravens would let Jackson "drive the process":
"There may be some stuff that goes out publicly. None of that's going to happen here. And if it does, it's a really bad sign. The Ravens understanding of their player is really, really good. And the way they approach this is trust is the most important thing to Lamar. And so we're going to let him drive the process."
He continued, wondering if the quarterback is looking to get Deshaun Watson-type money:
"We're not going to treat this like a normal negotiation. And we're going to work together to find a solution here. Now, I don't know what Lamar wants. I don't know if he's pushing for a Deshaun Watson-type of fully guaranteed deal."
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The NFL analyst wrapped up his point by stating that everyone involved wants "to keep this process pretty private":
"But the reason why there's so much, I say, uncertainty out there and why this all seems so vague is because I think everybody involved intends it to be. And, you know, they want to keep this process pretty private. So it wouldn't surprise me whenever this gets done, if it absolutely comes out of nowhere."
Lamar Jackson's career
Considering how unconventional the quarterback's career has been, one shouldn't be surprised that the his negotiations have been equally unconventional. The quarterback was drafted in 2018 with the final pick in the first round of the NFL Draft.
After years of lukewarm seasons with Joe Flacco, the Ravens felt it was time to begin moving in a new direction. The young quarterback ended up playing in seven regular-season games, immediately popping, according to Pro Football Reference. Jackson went 6-1 and brought the team to the postseason for the first time in roughly half a decade.
In his first three years, the Ravens made the playoffs each season. Despite missing the playoffs in 2021, Jackson ended his season with a winning record. Many agree that the true reason for missing the playoffs was the quarterback's injury sustained during the course of the latter part of the 2021 football season. In total, the quarterback is 37-12 in his career.