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Lamar Jackson is going to get paid. The big question is, when?
The message coming out of the Baltimore Ravens franchise is that they are in no rush to sign their superstar quarterback to a long-term deal.
After the Buffalo Bills signed Josh Allen to a massive extension on Friday, the rest of the league's eyes turned to Baltimore and Cleveland to see what they would do with their extension-eligible starting QBs.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh told ESPN reporter Jamison Hensley today that:
“There’s really not a hurry for us, he’s going to be our quarterback for years to come.”
Lamar Jackson may need to wait for new deal
The Baltimore Ravens look set to enter the 2021 NFL season without having extended Lamar Jackson's contract. There have been no reports out of Jackson’s camp of the QB being unhappy with the franchise, which means the dust on this situation will not settle until next year.
Here are three reasons the Ravens are in no rush to get the deal done.
#1 - Trust
The key ingredient in any relationship is trust, and there seems to be a lot of mutual respect and trust between the Ravens and Lamar Jackson.
Earlier this year, Jackson stated he wanted to be a "Raven for life." Strong words, and, more importantly, words that indicate he's more than happy to run point on the Baltimore Ravens offense.
Jackson clearly trusts the Ravens to do right by him.
#2 - Focus on the 2021 season
The Ravens want their star quarterback to focus on his performance on the field, not his contract negotiations off it. You could argue that this is a reason to get the deal signed before the season begins.
The fact that there have been no reports in the media about any friction between the sides points to them being on the same page. Lamar Jackson may prefer to worry about his next contract after the 2021 season has ended.
#3 - He's under contract
One of the key reasons the Baltimore Ravens are in no hurry to extend Lamar Jackson is because he’s under contract for two more seasons.
The franchise picked up his fifth-year option and he is set to make $1.7 million this season and just over $23 million in 2022. The 2019 league MVP has shown no signs of being unhappy with his current deal.
