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Lamar Jackson decided on Tuesday to play with the Baltimore Ravens throughout the 2022 season, which is good news for the team.
At least for now, the Ravens don't have to worry about Jackson, but the big problem will come next year when he isn't under contract. It appears that for now, the 25-year-old doesn't want a long-term deal with the team.
He is expected to get paid a lot when his contract is up. ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky said on "Get Up" that he believes Lamar Jackson should be paid an amount similar to what Deshaun Watson is earning. He said:
"Lamar Jackson doesn't fear anything. Lamar doesn't worry about all the potential what ifs if he doesn't get his deal done with the timing or at the price point that we want. Now, candidly I thought Mike Tannenbaum's points a couple of weeks ago in relation to this contract was spot on."
Orlovsky continued:
"Why would Lamar take anything less than what Deshaun Watson got from the Cleveland Browns? And that's why I do believe it will be fascinating to see what happens. If Lamar doesn't get the contract extension or offer from the Baltimore Ravens that he wants, why would he accept it?"
Lamar Jackson is a former NFL MVP and is considered by most to be a top-10 quarterback in the league.
Why Lamar Jackson should get paid well in 2023
Lamar Jackson might have had an off-year last season because of a lot of bumps and bruises, but he is still one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Jackson has thrown for almost 10,000 yards and 84 touchdowns in his career with the Ravens.
In his MVP year in 2019, he threw for 36 touchdowns and over 3,000 yards. He also has a sizeable number of yards he has rushed for in his career too, which is over 3,600.
He's certainly a top player and the Ravens would be fools to let him get away. But it seems as if Jackson himself may be interested in moving on when his contract is up. This is why Baltimore needs to offer him a great contract and pay him the way that superstar quarterbacks are supposed to be paid. Jackson is expected to make $23 million this year.
Putting a franchise tag on Jackson next year just to keep him is not a good idea. The Green Bay Packers tried to do that to Davante Adams and he eventually bolted to the Las Vegas Raiders.
If the Ravens are serious about keeping Jackson in the future, they need to pay him well. His record proves that he deserves it too.
