“Pay the man his damn money” - Former Buccaneers player rips Ravens for continuing standoff with Lamar Jackson
Only a select few can play the game like Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson can play it. Jackson won his first NFL MVP Award in 2019, in addition to the Heisman Trophy in 2016.
One wouldn't assume any front office would have second thoughts about re-signing the quarterback. However, the Ravens seem to continue to show hesitance when it comes to this topic of their future.
Keyshawn Johnson opined on the topic Tuesday on First Take. He acknowledged the time that the quarterback has missed due to injury but emphasized the importance of locking him in.
He said:
"Pay the man his damn money. I understand he's missed, I don't know, 12, 13 games over the last two years. There's plenty of players that have missed games in their careers and still got their money. You've got to pay him. You've designed everything from an offensive standpoint around him."
"And on top of that, when you look at the amount of money that's being shelled out post Deshaun Watson to the quarterbacks. Kyler Murray got 160 plus million dollars of guaranteed money. Russell Wilson 160 plus million dollars of guaranteed money. And you offered this man $133 million of guaranteed money."
Missing 11 total games in the last two seasons, Jackson has a 15-9 record since 2021 in games he started. Part of the reason why he might be injured is his general playing style. As a mobile quarterback, he often takes off running, seeing him take significantly more hits than the average quarterback.
Lamar Jackson remains the best option the Ravens would find on the open market
When Lamar Jackson started for the Ravens, they averaged 25 points and 356.1 total yards offensively. In the weeks Jackson didn't play, the team averaged just 12.25 points and 113.75 passing yards.
It's very clear that the team is better when Jackson plays, but the question for the front office is how much is he worth? To get that answer, Baltimore fans will have to be patient and hope the organization comes to a positive conclusion about re-signing their quarterback.
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