“You’re gonna regret it” - NFL insider decrypts Lamar Jackson’s message on Orlando Brown Jr’s $64M payday
Lamar Jackson could start the 2023 season elsewhere as the Baltimore Ravens placed a non-exclusive tag on him this off-season. This means that the 2019 NFL MVP could talk to other teams about a possible trade. Jackson has been both vocal and cryptic about getting a new contract.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero appeared on the Dan Patrick Show. He discussed a tweet by Jackson regarding offensive lineman Orlando Brown Jr.'s four-year, $64 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. Pelissero commented that the All-Pro signal-caller was sending a message.
"I did not see that tweet, but certainly seems like that's the message of, 'if you're not the team that gets me, you're gonna regret it', it still remains to be seen."
Below is the tweet that Patrick referenced in his conversation with the NFL insider:
#NOTREALLY
twitter.com/benthimmons/st…
First off Drip Congratulations 2Xs Big bra❤️❤️ When this is all set in done I feel bad for the rest of the 31😤 #NOTREALLY😮💨 twitter.com/benthimmons/st…
Brown Jr. played the first three seasons of his career with the Ravens, protecting the two-time Pro Bowler. Now, Jackson was likely hinting at a new deal of his own, whether it's in Baltimore or elsewhere. The Ravens star dismissed reports by ESPN's NFL insider Adam Schefter that he turned down a $200 million guaranteed deal.
Lamar Jackson doesn't have an agent and has reportedly gotten advice from the NFLPA. In a memo, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith commented that team owners despise fully-guaranteed contracts since they favor the player and not them.
"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."
There have been rumors that the current Baltimore Ravens quarterback is seeking a deal similar to that of Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. A case can be made that Jackson could get a similar deal to what the Browns star did last March.
Should Lamar Jackson bet the next QB to get $200 million guaranteed?
The former Heisman Trophy winner has proven to be one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL since the 2018 season. Here's the full list of the top five NFL quarterbacks with the most guaranteed money:
Out of the top five quarterbacks, only Lamar Jackson and Aaron Rodgers have won an MVP award in their careers. When Watson signed that deal with the Ravens, he was 26 years old, the same age Jackson is now.
According to the salary cap site Spotrac, Jackson's market value is a six-year, $244.6 million deal but doesn't state how much of it is guaranteed.
If the Ravens' first-round pick in the 2016 draft is indeed seeking lots of guaranteed money, there is a precedent. Time will tell if Lamar Jackson gets a new deal ahead of the 2023 season.
If you use any of the above quotes, please credit The Dan Patrick Show, WBAL.com, and H/T Sportskeeda.