NFLPA head accuses NFL owners for colluding against Lamar Jackson
Even a few days into the start of free agency, Lamar Jackson has not made any traction. The former MVP had the non-exclusive franchise tag placed on him, which means he can still talk to other teams.
Still, most teams have come forward and said they don't want to engage in contract talks or that they simply would not give him a guaranteed contract.
NFLPA head DeMaurice Smith has called out NFL owners for colluding. He believes they're working together to drive the price of the quarterback down. There's no doubt these teams would love to have him, but they want him for cheap with no risk.
Smith didn't mince words via ProFootballTalk:
“The NFL Draft and the franchise tag system exist because owners have colIuded in the past to both depress and restrict markets. This time, they are criminally gaming the game itself.
“We are all staring at the same answer to the obvious questions. Why did [Kirk] Cousins and [Deshaun] Watson get fully guaranteed contracts while others didn’t? Or to be more specific, why have the Baltimore Ravens and other teams publicly (at least initially) made such a point to say they are not going to compensate Lamar Jackson with a fully guaranteed contract like Cousins or Watson?"
He further excouriated NFL owners:
"Let’s be clear, in my nearly 15-year career as Executive Director, I have never witnessed teams being so quick to publicly announce their lack of interest in an MVP quarterback, who is in his prime and who is also going to get an injury guarantee, regardless of his contract.”
Smith doesn't appreciate what NFL teams are doing, but it remains unclear how this situation will resolve itself.
How might NFL teams be colluding against Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson is seeking a long-term, mostly guaranteed contract. He's looking at the Deshaun Watson deal, which was five years, $230 million guaranteed. Jackson, who is admittedly a more successful quarterback who doesn't have any off-field baggage, wants something similar.
But the Ravens, and clearly a lot of other teams, don't want to give him that. If no team offers him what he wants, his demands go away and the price goes down. That, ultimately, is financially better for any team that wants to sign him.