“The bridge has been burned” - Skip Bayless believes Lamar Jackson’s pride has pushed him out the door
It seems Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are still not close to getting a deal done. While Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts' extension provides some sort of guideline as to the numbers of a potential deal, it doesn't look like any progress is being made between the parties.
For Skip Bayless, though, the Ravens and Jackson will likely go their separate ways. During his appearance on 'The Undisputed', the analyst highlighted why he feels that Baltimore will need to look for other ways to find a franchise quarterback:
“The blood feels so bad now it just feels like Lamar is such a proud young man and I got I have high regard right out. But once you have that much pride and you feel like they stuck it to you it's like it feels the bridge has been burned.”
As Lamar Jackson currently sits on the non-exclusive franchise tag, he can negotiate a deal with any other team. The Ravens, however, have the option to match any deal and keep him. Otherwise, the team that signs him will have to give up two first-round picks to Baltimore.
Why does Jalen Hurts' new deal complicate Lamar Jackson's situation with the Ravens?
The key point here is the guaranteed money. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback's deal was far from 100%, leaving Lamar to fight for a deal in which all the money was guaranteed. Thus, he has become increasingly isolated, since he has not received offers of this type from the Ravens or any other franchise.
It's also a message from team owners and general managers that the Cleveland Browns' deal with Deshaun Watson was an exception and won't become commonplace in the league. Watson's fully guaranteed deal was heavily criticized a year ago.
Now it's up to Jackson whether he is willing to step back and accept playing under other conditions. The first step is to let franchises know that he is willing to negotiate. As the quarterback has no agent, communication is complex and may take longer than usual.