ExtremeRavens Posted August 30 Posted August 30 The Ravens signed quarterback Lamar Jackson to a five-year, $260 million megadeal in April 2023. Now, as they get set to embark on the 2024 season, they are finding out the true cost of the contract. “We may have a couple of hiccups along the way,” general manager Eric DeCosta acknowledged Thursday when asked about the offensive line, which will have three new starters, including what is expected to be a pair of first-year players in guard Andrew Vorhees and rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten. “I think we’ve started to build from the bottom up, and I think a year from now, we’ll be in a great place.” In some ways, it was a stunning if not revelatory statement from DeCosta, whose stated expectation every season is to win the Super Bowl. But it’s also a cold splash of reality. While the NFL salary cap shot up more than $30 million from $224.8 million in 2023 to $255.4 million this season, the increase did not translate into Baltimore being able to afford to sign a top-tier free agent offensive lineman as it moved on from veteran guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson and traded aging right tackle Morgan Moses. The Ravens also had to dish out money elsewhere, notably signing Pro Bowl defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, who was entering the final year of his rookie contract, to a four-year, $98 million extension after he led all NFL interior linemen with 13 sacks last season. DeCosta also made a relatively small free agent splurge in signing four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry for $16 million over two years — and he saved some money in getting injury-prone left tackle Ronnie Stanley to restructure his pricey contract. And even before Jackson’s contract, Baltimore had big money committed to a handful of spots across its roster. Also eating into the salary cap is the five-year, $100 million contract of Roquan Smith, whom the Ravens signed in January 2023 after acquiring the All-Pro inside linebacker from the Chicago Bears via trade midway through the 2022 season. Meanwhile, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who is signed through the 2026 season, will count $22.877 million against the cap this year, $25.127 million next season and $22.927 million in 2026 (though it seems unlikely that contract will play out as is without at least getting restructured or the veteran corner getting jettisoned because of his high salary). Then, of course, there’s Jackson. His salary cap numbers help paint the picture of the challenges DeCosta and the Ravens are facing when it comes to having perhaps the league’s best player. A $22.15 million dent last year was followed by a $32.4 million hit this season. The numbers only go up from there — $43.65 million in 2025 and $74.65 million in 2026 and 2027 (though those last two figures will never become reality as Jackson would likely want an extension by then, thus recalculating the numbers). Other ancillary factors have played a part, too. Even before Lamar Jackson’s contract, the Ravens had big money committed to a handful of spots across their roster. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Amid contract negotiations last offseason, Jackson requested that DeCosta sign free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Though Beckham was coming off a year away from football after the second torn ACL of his career, the general manager obliged, signing the then-30-year-old veteran for one year and $15 million — a significantly higher amount than Beckham’s other main suitor, the New York Jets, were reportedly willing to pay him. Beckham finished with 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns, though he was a valuable locker-room presence to a young wide receiver group. Meanwhile, All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton and Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum will be eligible for extensions next year and figure to be among the highest-paid players at their positions. Cornerback Brandon Stephens, who blossomed last season, is in the final year of his rookie contract and is another player DeCosta would like to keep in Baltimore. But committing all that money to a handful of spots comes at a price. Baltimore is currently $3.579 million over the cap and will restructure some contracts to get compliant. A lack of flexibility has been evident — not just in building this year’s offensive line, but elsewhere on the roster, with the Ravens also thin and lacking quality veteran depth at quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker and defensive line. It has been evident on the field at times, too, most recently in the 30-7 hammering Baltimore took against the Packers in Green Bay in last Saturday’s preseason finale. “If you looked at our games — the Packers game, let’s face it, it was kind of a joke,” DeCosta said. “It was hard to watch in a lot of ways. I couldn’t wait for the game to be over.” Still, when it comes to Jackson’s deal, there is value — and there has been a lot of return on investment. At the time he signed it, he was momentarily the highest-paid player in the NFL in terms of total money and average annual salary ($52 million). Since then, he has slipped to fifth and seventh, respectively, but is coming off being named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player for a second time and last year posted career highs in passing yards and completion percentage. Of the players being paid more than Jackson, only Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has won a Super Bowl and is the lone one from the group to join Jackson in having twice been named the NFL’s MVP. “Unfortunately, with a salary-cap league, you just can’t build a team up with veterans at every position,” DeCosta said. “And so, you have to pay players, but you also understand you have to draft and you have to develop young players as well, and we have started to do that on the offensive line. “[I’m] excited about Roger [Rosengarten]. I’m excited about Andrew Vorhees. I’m excited for the future.” Perhaps so, but that might not bode well for the present and the goal of getting to this year’s Super Bowl. View the full article Quote
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