“They are shaming him” – Skip Bayless accuses Ravens of disrespecting Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson received the non-exclusive franchise tag from the Baltimore Ravens an hour before yesterday's deadline.
The #Ravens have officially franchised tagged QB Lamar Jackson, giving him the non-exclusive tag. https://t.co/MXzOHvJbWI
The news wasn't unexpected as the two sides were still far off in contract talks. The Ravens weren't going to let him hit the open market, so they tagged him with hopes of securing a long-term deal, using the non-exclusive tag.
On Undisputed with Skip and Shannon, Skip Bayless reacted to the news of Jackson receiving the non-exclusive tag and thinks the Ravens are shaming him.
"In his third season, he won MVP by leading in touchdown passes, and this is the way he is being treated. They are shaming him, worse and worse and worse. They're not saying completely no to him, but they're not saying yes either. They're playing it somewhere in the middle."
Bayless then questioned whether the Ravens really wanted him or not by not being on the same page as one another in contract talks.
"Do you want him or not? Do you want to go all-in or not? Because you can't play it right down the middle, because they're basically just saying no to Lamar Jackson, and trust me, wherever he sits right now, he is not happy, because they just shamed him by sticking with the non-exclusive tag. It was smart on their part, I guess."
Ravens place non-exclusive franchise tag on Lamar Jackson:
“I am more offended by the day in how they’re treating this young QB. Do you want him or not??” — @RealSkipBayless https://t.co/phOn3OLUMH
Jackson will be paid $32.4 million this season on the tag. He's seeking a large-guaranteed contract and that's why the two sides are having difficulties in trade talks.
What will happen with Lamar Jackson and his contract situation?
The Ravens used the non-exclusive tag on Jackson, which allows other teams to make an offer that the Ravens can choose to match or not.
Oddly enough, once the report emerged that the Ravens used the non-exclusive tag on Jackson, many teams were reportedly not interested in trading for him.
Update: The #Dolphins will not pursue #Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, per @JeffDarlington
In total: The #Falcons, #Commanders, #Panthers and #Raiders are all reportedly out on Lamar Jackson. https://t.co/d0hsSt7VPQ
It seems as if no team wants to give Lamar Jackson the large contract he's seeking.
Before the start of last season, Jackson reportedly turned down a six-year deal that included $133 million in guaranteed money.
He may be forced to play this season on the $32.4 million non-exclusive tag and maybe he will have a better market next off-season.