Stephen A. Smith loses cool over Ravens' Odell Beckham Jr. pursuit amid Lamar Jackson chaos

Lamar Jackson needs help to jumpstart the Baltimore Ravens’ passing game. It’s not that the team hasn’t tried since drafting him in 2018. Instead, they’ve had more hits than misses so far. Therefore, it’s surprising that they finished 28th in passing yards (178.8 per game) last season.

But an exciting development could give Baltimore a much-needed boost in their aerial attack. The team reportedly offered Odell Beckham Jr. a contract, giving Jackson a reason to stay. However, ESPN First Take mainstay Stephen A. Smith isn’t buying the fact that the Ravens explored this possibility before giving their quarterback a long-term deal. He said:

“This brother's elite. He's proven it, and it shouldn't have gotten to this point. My position is I don't give a damn whether it's Odell or anybody else. Nothing's going to change what has transpired between Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens at this point.”

Jackson was eligible for a contract extension after the 2020 season. But since then, the Ravens have picked up his fifth-year option worth $23 million and offered him a $32.4 million non-exclusive franchise tag. The tag allows other teams to sign him to an offer sheet. The Ravens will get two first-round picks as compensation if they don’t match another team’s offer.

Smith added regarding the stalemate between Lamar Jackson and the Ravens:

“If Lamar Jackson ends up remaining a Baltimore Raven, it's because he was forced to, not because he wants to be there. He's made it very clear. March 2, he asked to be traded."

Jackson became the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player after becoming the second quarterback in league history to attain at least 1,000 rushing yards in a season. He is also a two-time Pro Bowler and a 2019 First-Team All-Pro member.

He is representing himself in contract negotiations and is seeking a fully-guaranteed deal similar to what Deshaun Watson got from the Cleveland Browns. Jackson led the Ravens to an 8-4 record before suffering a season-ending ankle injury last year. He finished the 2022 season with 2,242 passing yards, 764 rushing yards, and 20 total touchdowns.

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Other First Take Hosts Express Frustration on Lamar Jackson Situation

Former NFL defensive end Marcus Spears chimed in on the Jackson-Ravens impasse:

“I remind people every time we talk about this. This is two years in the making! Lamar asked for a contract a year ago. They couldn’t come to terms. Me and Stephen A and RC (Ryan Clark) have said that Lamar Jackson should not step on the football field.”

“He gets hurt this year. He missed five games last year. And guess what the narrative is for not paying him? ‘Well, he’s injured, and he doesn’t play enough.’ And we forget the whole part of how much Lamar Jackson impacts winning for the Baltimore Ravens.”

Meanwhile, Clark pointed out the failure to develop the wide receivers they’ve drafted since 2018. He said:

“Molly (Qerim) said, they’ve drafted eight wide receivers since 2018. Now maybe they’ve drafted wrong, or maybe they haven’t done a great job with development. Maybe the offense didn’t necessarily lead to success from the wide receiver position. But they’ve been trying.”

“It’s not about putting the players on the field around Lamar Jackson. It’s about saying ‘Lamar Jackson, we want you.'”

Of all the wideouts Baltimore has drafted since Jackson joined the team, only four are still with the team in 2023. Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay will be coming off season-ending foot injuries. The best from the bunch, Marquise Brown, is already with the Arizona Cardinals after a 2022 draft day trade.