Lamar Jackson contract talk

[diamondbull424]

With Kyler Murray getting his deal of 46m and Watson the same. The market seems to be clear as to the baseline.

However Lamar has accomplished more than both QBs in his young career.

What deal do you think gets it done? What do you hope is the deal? How long are you hoping for?

[diamondbull424]

I’ll start, I think it’s impossible to really hope for a team friendly deal, that’s just not going to happen.

Realistically with Lamar’s MVP and his win% to this point, plus the collapse of the team’s record once he got hurt, I think he’s got a great argument towards highest paid QB in the league.

So I think if I were on Lamar’s council and was looking out for him alone- and not as a fan- I’m  going to want to him to get paid a market breaking contract of ~$52m over a short to mid term deal (3-5 years). Because the team benefits in the short term as the offense is designed around Lamar the runner and they can throw him into as many designed runs as they want with such a small risk. So if that’s what they want, I would want them to know their is a high value for that and it’s a record breaking contract of 5 years/$260m.

 

Thus I think the smartest thing from the team perspective is to gamble on Lamar’s athleticism being able to hold up and his work ethic translating into continued QB growth post athletic decline. The longer the contract, the more you can offer, that impacts the cap less on a year to year basis.

Personally I’d offer Lamar an 8 year deal (2nd longest- #8 jersey number) of $350m (2nd most), $250m in guaranteed (most), and $110m guaranteed (2nd most) at signing. Which allows Lamar to break the record for guaranteed money within a deal, be only the second member of the 300m club, and still be high up in the other contract parameters. It would also squash the narratives that Lamar might be “moved on from” that I’m sure would permeate 3 years into a 5 year extension. It would show the ultimate loyalty from the team to Lamar.

Yet from a team friendly standpoint, $43.75m/year would be a decent enough bargain that has Lamar making less than Mahomes and just more than Allen, both having signed before these other monster deals increased the value of the market… and could really look like a bargain once Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert sign their deals.

[wackywabbit]

I guess it is a contrarian take and everyone takes this particular point more seriously than I do, but I don't think the Ravens chances of winning a super bowl change that much whether Lamar gets paid 30M AAV per year or 60M AAV per year. That difference less than 15% of the cap this year and will likely be 10% or less midway through the extension. Whether or not either first round pick this year becomes a hit is more relevant to me. Media makes too much noise about QB contracts and cap space. As long as Lamar is present and healthy I don't care.

 But sure, I'll guess he gets around 45M per year.

Edited July 29, 2022 by wackywabbit

[DreamKid]

Shannon Sharpe today- "Ravens aint believe in Lamar Jackson"

😂 The framing of these negotiations continues to get funnier and funnier.

More than half of the pundits scolding the organization for not giving Lamar a blank check still routinely question Lamar's ability to throw the football and an even larger number didn't think he was a worthy 1st Round QB prospect- Just as every NFL club, but the Ravens, didn't. In fact even Ozzie was comfortable waiting until the 2nd Round to pursue Jackson, but DeCosta pressured him to nab him in Round 1 and make the trade. So in reality DeCosta believed in Lamar more than any other figure in the NFL did and that's why Lamar is a Raven. Yet we probably aren't too far away from some former player talking head personally attacking EDC's character on TV because no deal has been reached yet. 

So happy this gets to be the prevailing story of our season..........

[RavensfanRD]

I think this is more Biscotti than anything. I am on the record of saying I don't understand why he wasn't given a blank check. Last year more than anything proved you couldn't win without him and that he could get it done with duck tape and part time McDonald employees. I just want him to go win a Superbowl and ask for 700 million with 250 million gur-run-teeeed!

[DreamKid]

1 hour ago, RavensfanRD said:

I think this is more Biscotti than anything.

I'd agree.