Although he’s permitted to talk with other teams after the Baltimore Ravens utilized a non-exclusive franchise tag, there’s been very little buzz on the Lamar Jackson front. It sounds like that might be changing.
ESPN‘s Jeremy Fowler recently reported that the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings could enter the chat. He also mentioned the New York Jets as a potential contender, should the deal with Aaron Rodgers get nixed.
“We just talked about the Jets. If for some reason the Aaron Rodgers trade would fall through–nobody expects that– they could pivot to Jackson,” Fowler said, per Bleacher Report.
“And then when you talk about good fits, I asked some executives around the league what teams would make sense. They mention Tennessee, who just cleared some cap space. They have a new GM Ran Carthon, who’s working on the roster. They could use a running quarterback; they have experience with that in the past. And even a wild card like Minnesota. Kirk Cousins has one year left on his contract if they want to reestablish their identity there.”
Because Baltimore used the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, the MVP quarterback can meet with other teams about a potential deal. The Ravens then have seven days to match the offer.
It’s been incredibly quiet on the Jackson front, especially considering his talent and success. But NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith believes there’s a reason for that.
Head of NFLPA Says Owners ‘Criminally Gaming’ Against Lamar Jackson
Typically, if an MVP-caliber player gets the chance to speak with other teams, front office executives will jump all over the opportunity. That hasn’t been the case for Lamar Jackson.
NFL Players Association (NFLPA) executive director DeMaurice Smith says owners just want to control players. He believes there’s a lot of resistance to offering a fully-guaranteed contract.
“The NFL Draft and the franchise tag system exist because owners have colIuded in the past to both depress and restrict markets,” Smith writes per Pro Football Talk. “This time, they are criminally gaming the game itself. …
“Let’s be clear, in my nearly 15-year career as Executive Director, I have never witnessed teams being so quick to publicly announce their lack of interest in an MVP quarterback, who is in his prime and who is also going to get an injury guarantee, regardless of his contract.”
Jackson’s contract issues with the Ravens dates back to last summer. No real progress has been made over the past year.
