ExtremeRavens Posted June 24 Posted June 24 When Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was asked during last week’s two-day mandatory minicamp about the conversations he’s had thus far with general manager Eric DeCosta about a possible contract extension, he demurred. “You know I never discuss contract situations here,” the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player said. “I don’t want to talk about it, if that’s OK with you.” However, details from an arbitration hearing over a November 2022 collusion grievance filed by the NFL Players Association against the NFL over concerns about teams colluding to limit fully guaranteed contracts shed some light on Jackson’s previous contract negotiations with Baltimore in 2022 and 2023. The 61-page document, which was obtained by the “Pablo Torre Finds Out” podcast and shared Tuesday, details, among other things, DeCosta’s thought process, Jackson’s known desire for a fully guaranteed deal and, remarkably, the quarterback at one point citing a broken microphone on his phone as a reason for difficulties in the two sides negotiating. Jackson was one of three players — along with quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray — who testified in the hearing, which took place in New York City over 10 days between July and August of last year. Although the NFL ultimately won, arbiter Christopher Droney wrote in the decision, “There is little question that the NFL Management Council, with the blessing of the Commissioner, encouraged the 32 NFL Clubs to reduce guarantees in veterans’ contracts at the March 2022 annual owners’ meeting.” The meeting had taken place just days after the Cleveland Browns gave a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract to quarterback Deshaun Watson. As for the involvement of Jackson, who does not have an agent, he took part in the proceedings via Zoom, according to the document, which also outlined the conversations he had with DeCosta during negotiations following the 2022 season about his desire for a fully guaranteed deal. And DeCosta, according to the document, acknowledged the difficulty of those conversations with some new detail. “Mr. Jackson said that the microphone on his phone was not working, making communications with Mr. DeCosta difficult,” the document reads. It also included email and text exchanges between the two. Before the 2022 season, Jackson texted DeCosta, “I’m going to continue to request a FULLY GUARANTEED contract I understand you all DON’T and that’s fine.” Jackson, whom Baltimore selected in the first round of the 2018 draft, went on to play that season on the fifth-year option. After the season, DeCosta offered differing three-year deals, according to the document, both of which he considered to be fully guaranteed. However, Jackson rejected both and requested to be traded. DeCosta then asked Jackson for a list of teams for which he would accept a trade, but never got one, according to the document. Meanwhile, the Ravens applied the nonexclusive franchise tag to keep Jackson in Baltimore for at least another year but also allowed him to negotiate with other teams. According to the document, only a couple of teams had expressed interest in the quarterback before the tag was applied, and none reached out after. Among the reasons for a lack of interest, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said, were the size of the contract Jackson would demand, salary cap implications, having to give up two first-round picks if they signed him to an offer sheet after he was tagged and his unique playing style, according to the document. Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank also testified that Jackson’s injuries were factors in his team saying publicly in 2023 that they had no interest in acquiring the superstar. Lamar Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million deal with the Ravens in 2023. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Of course, Jackson and the Ravens finally did reach an agreement, though it wasn’t without plenty of uneasy moments. On the eve of the 2023 draft, DeCosta was “under the assumption that Mr. Jackson would no longer be playing for the Ravens,” according to the document, but he sent over another offer. To his surprise, Jackson quickly accepted the five-year, $260 million offer that briefly made him the highest-paid player in football. But with Jackson having slipped to now being the 10th-highest paid quarterback in the league, and with a prohibitive $74.5 million salary cap hit looming beginning in 2026, the two sides have been in discussion again about a new contract. Jackson finished the 2024 season as the runner-up to Josh Allen as The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player. Baltimore’s quarterback passed for 4,172 yards, 41 touchdowns and four interceptions this past season, while also adding 915 rushing yards. What the current contract talks lead to remains to be seen — it’s likely Jackson will once again become the sport’s highest-paid player — but the hearing shed further light on DeCosta’s thinking and what it could mean going forward. DeCosta testified that he’s not opposed to fully guaranteed contracts, just fully guaranteed contracts “pushed out to later years.” He also said that because Jackson is a “running quarterback” and has incurred injuries during his career, that is just one reason why he tries to minimize guarantees in the fifth and sixth years of contracts. Jackson and the Ravens open training camp on July 22. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article Quote
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