NFL analyst downplays panic as Lamar Jackson skips start of OTAs a la Tom Brady

Lamar Jackson entered the 2023 NFL offseason with his future in limbo. He and the Baltimore Ravens continuously struggled to agree on a long-term contract and it looked like the superstar quarterback could be on his way to a new team.

Despite the controversial negotiation process, the Ravens eventually locked in Lamar Jackson to a long-term deal to remain with the team. They proceeded to add more wide receivers to support him within the offense, as well as signing a new offensive coordinator.

As Jackson prepares for the upcoming 2023 NFL season in search of his first-ever Super Bowl ring, he will need to make some adjustments to the new roster and staff around him. Despite the potential learning curve, he decided to skip the beginning of Ravens OTAs during the 2023 NFL offseason. While they are optional sessions, this is a potential red flag.

NFL analyst Sara Walsh recently appeared on "Good Morning Football" to give her take on Jackson's decision:

"Similar to your point about Brady too, and I know there's a new offensive coordinator there in Baltimore. And it was because of COVID. But that first year he went to Tampa, I mean, there were no OTAs, there was no mandatory mini-camp, there was nothing. He had a new team, new playbook, new coaches, new everything, and it didn't matter. And they went to the Super Bowl. Again, it's Tom Brady.

"The Ravens could have had way bigger issues than whether Lamar was showing up to the first, second, or third day of OTAs right? Imagine if this hadn't been done? Imagine if they had to go in a different direction. So I would look at the flip side of it. If I'm the Ravens, and go look, the biggest problem for us right now is not that he doesn't go to Monday's optional practice. It's that this guy's done. He's signed, sealed, delivered, under contract. We know he'll be here when it matters."

While Tom Brady won a Super Bowl ring in his first year with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers despite having no formal offseason preparations, Lamar Jackson is not Brady. He has yet to win a ring so far during his career, nor has he even appeared in one. Brady had already won six rings in nine appearances with the New England Patriots before joining the Buccaneers.

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Lamar Jackson's record-breaking contract with Ravens

Lamar Jackson

Lamar Jackson broke NFL records when he signed a five-year contract worth $260 million with the Baltimore Ravens during the 2023 offseason. His massive $52 million in AAV is the highest by any player ever in NFL history. He also joined Aaron Rodgers and Jalen Hurts as the only NFL players ever to exceed $50 million in AAV.