Shannon Sharpe claims decades-old Ravens philosophy died when Lamar Jackson signed new deal- “You’re an offensive team now”
Last month, Lamar Jackson finally got the contract extension he had been longing for. Now that the Ravens have their quarterback long-term, the team has also added a few key offensive weapons.
On Friday's episode of FS1's "Undisputed", NFL Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe said that the Ravens' identity has changed. He said that paying their 26-year-old quarterback a lucrative contract would do just that.
The Baltimore Ravens have now extended Lamar Jackson and signed wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholar and Zay Flowers. Sharpe said that those moves indicate that the Ravens are now offensive-minded.
"You know what happens get when you pay that kind of money for a quarterback. You're no longer a defensive team. You're an offensive team that's when you do what they did offensively with obj and Nelson Aguilar and Zay Flowers yep yes good that's that's what you are now." Undisputed
Sharpe said that the Baltimore Ravens, who were always seen as a dominant defensive team, are no longer. And, that is essentially what happens when a team spends all of that money on their offense.
BREAKING: Ravens, Lamar Jackson agree to terms on contract extension. (via @RapSheet) https://t.co/986WnipDYK
It's comparable to one saying they put 'all of their eggs in one basket'. Concentrating solely on the offense could end up being an issue for the Baltimore Ravens in a hard-fought AFC North division.
How much is QB Lamar Jackson's contract worth?
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has spent the last two years trying to negotiate a contract extension. Without an agent, he did all of the negotiating himself, and at one point, the situation became contentious. With the quarterback asking the Ravens to trade him.
A little over a month after that request, he was awarded the contract extension that he fought so hard for. The contract is for five years and is worth up to $260 million, with $185 million guaranteed.
With a new contract that pays him $52 million per year and a new offense to learn, Ravens QB Lamar Jackson should be at every OTA session, if he hopes to compete with the best teams in the AFC. profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/05/22/lam…
The contract has a full no-trade clause and a no-tag clause, meaning in five years he will be an unrestricted free agent. As part of Jackson's return to the Baltimore Ravens, the team also made a few other moves. Giving the quarterback additional offensive weapons.
He requested that the team sign wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., which they did. The Ravens also drafted Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.