The Baltimore Ravens have made a decision when it comes to quarterback Lamar Jackson. The team has used a non-exclusive franchise tag on the former NFL MVP. Baltimore announced the news on Tuesday.
Jackson and the Ravens have been at a stand-still over a long-term contract agreement for nearly a year. Neither side has budged at this time.
“Having not yet reached a long-term deal with Lamar Jackson, we will use the franchise tag,” the team said in a statement. “There have been many instances across the league and in Baltimore when a player has been designated with a franchise tag and signed a long-term deal that same year.
“We will continue to negotiate in good faith with Lamar, and we are hopeful that we can strike a long-term deal that is fair to both Lamar and the Ravens. Our ultimate goal is to build a championship team with Lamar Jackson leading the way for many years to come.”
Jackson, 26, has played all five NFL seasons with the Ravens. In 2019, he won the league’s Most Valuable Player award.
What Does the Franchise Tag Mean for Ravens, Lamar Jackson?
With the Baltimore Ravens using the non-exclusive franchise tag on Lamar Jackson, the quarterback gets the opportunity to “shop” around for the best offer.
Per Albert Breer of NFL Network, teams can begin negotiating to get Jackson next week. If the quarterback is signed to an offer sheet, the Ravens have seven days to match.
If Baltimore lets Jackson walk to another team, it will receive a pair of first-round selections for the NFL Draft. So, there’s still quite a bit that needs to be worked out in the coming weeks.
It sounds like there’s already one team really focused on signing Jackson. Per Benjamin Allbright of KOA Colorado, the Atlanta Falcons are expected to make a hard push for the veteran quarterback.
During his NFL career, Jackson has posted a 45-16 record. He’s thrown for 12,209 yards with 101 touchdowns while rushing for 727 yards and 24 additional scores.