It’s official now: Lamar Jackson will stay with the Baltimore Ravens after all. Both sides agree on a new contract. It even tops the NFL record deal of Jalen Hurts with the Eagles.
The long hang-up is over.
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens have agreed on a contract extension.
Corresponding reports from various US media confirmed the Ravens in the evening.
We’ve agreed in principle on a 5-year contract extension with QB @Lj_era8‼️
– Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) April 27, 2023
Accordingly, Jackson will continue to call the Ravens’ plays on the field for the next five years.
Jackson announces deal in car
In a video posted by the Ravens, Jackson announced the deal in a car. “There’s been a lot of talk over the last few months,” the 26-year-old said. But now he says he can’t wait to be back with the team – and for the next five years.
It’s a 5-year deal for $260M for Lamar Jackson, source said. The new highest paid QB.
– Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 27, 2023
The new contract then also makes him the highest-paid quarterback in history at $260 million ($52 million a year), “CBS Sports” and “NFL Network” report in agreement. 185 million of that sum is guaranteed.
Just ten days earlier, Jalen Hurts signed a new five-year, $255 million (180 million guaranteed) contract with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Patrick Mahomes remains the highest-paid player in terms of total volume ($450 million over ten years), but earns an average of “only” 45 million euros per year.
Agreement reached between Jackson and the Ravens just before the draft
The agreement between Jackson and the Ravens was preceded by negotiations that had dragged on for a total of more than two years. That it was announced just now, a few hours before the NFL Draft, is certainly no coincidence.
After all, the Ravens might have drafted a new quarterback in the talent lottery. Jackson’s athletic future would have been more uncertain than ever.
As recently as March, Jackson, who represents himself in contract matters, had made it public that he wanted to be traded. The reason: lack of appreciation from the Ravens.
The Ravens promptly provided their quarterback with a nonexclusive franchise tag that allowed him to negotiate with other teams. Baltimore, however, would have had the right to match any other offer. However, no team publicly showed interest in him.
Still, everything seemed to point to a split as late as the end of March. For Jackson wrote on Twitter that the Ravens were “not interested in paying me adequately” in contract talks.
Ravens officials, however, remained optimistic that an agreement would be reached. As recently as early April, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta had said of Jackson, “He’s the right player for this team to lead us to where we want to be.”
Now at least the first part of that announcement has come true.
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