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Fansided

10 do-or-die decisions NFL teams must make this offseason

By Sayre Bedinger

BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 20: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on November 20, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - NOVEMBER 20: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens looks on against the Carolina Panthers during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium on November 20, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – NOVEMBER 07: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens warms up before kickoff against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome on November 7, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images) /

1. Will the Baltimore Ravens make Lamar Jackson the highest-paid QB ever?

The saga between the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson has almost reached its breaking point. The Ravens have the franchise tag available to them as it relates to Lamar Jackson, and they could place that on him to extend the madness even further. What’s clear at this point is that Jackson — who is negotiating this deal on his own — understands that he has plenty of leverage in this situation.

Jackson was the MVP of the NFL in an absolutely silly 2019 season in which he ran for over 1,200 yards and also led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes despite the Ravens finishing 32nd in the NFL in total pass attempts. Jackson’s 9.0 touchdown percentage that season and 43 total touchdowns were absolutely legendary, but it’s been a bit of an uphill climb since that season.

Jackson has missed 10 games over the last two seasons. The Ravens haven’t put the best talent around Jackson at the receiver position, and the combination of factors has led us to an old Western-style stand-off between these two sides.

You look at a contract like the one Deshaun Watson signed with the Cleveland Browns last offseason — five years, $230 million, fully guaranteed — and wonder, how could Lamar Jackson get anything less than that?

That’s probably what Lamar is thinking as well. Others have suggested, well why doesn’t Jackson just take a shorter-term deal and hit free agency again in another couple of seasons? The simple answer to that question is that Jackson should get the best possible deal he can right now. Especially when you look at the way he plays the game, he should take nothing less than five years, $230 million fully guaranteed. He’s been an MVP already. He’s so valuable to the Ravens and should be paid accordingly. It’s understandable that the Ravens maybe don’t want to do a $240 million or $250 million deal fully guaranteed.

But at the same time, it might have to be done.

Jackson could take a deal worth $150-160 million fully guaranteed over the next three years, but why should he be willing to do that? That’s $70-80 million that he would be missing out on compared to Deshaun Watson.

It’s certainly a complicated discussion, but this is a do-or-die situation for the Baltimore Ravens, no doubt. Jackson’s value can only go down if he goes out and plays on the franchise tag and gets hurt. He’s proven enough at this point to warrant the biggest contract in league history, but will the Ravens give it to him?

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