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As “hold-in” season begins around the league in some players’ cases, Lamar Jackson is taking part in training camp. The top storyline surrounding the team all offseason has been the lack of traction regarding an extension for the Ravens QB, but progress could be coming soon.
Jackson’s arrival at camp sparked the latest round of questions related to his long-term future with the team. He is slated to earn $23M in 2022 on the fifth-year option, but a deal similar to the ones given to Deshaun Watson and Kyler Murray this offseason has not been considered close to being finalized at any time.
To that point, Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network confirms that nothing is currently “imminent” on the extension front, and Jackson is still “in no rush” to sign a new deal. In the absence of an extension, the 25-year-old’s short-term future would consist of one or two seasons played out on franchise tags – the value of which, in 2023, would be roughly $47M, right in line with the annual averages of Watson’s and Murray’s new contracts.
The fact that Jackson wasn’t the party most interested in discussing an extension in March cast doubt on his willingness to commit to the franchise over the long term, something the front office has expressed a desire for on multiple occasions. The notion that the former MVP was focused solely on preparations for the upcoming season has been contradicted by, among other things, Jackson’s latest public remarks on the potential for a new pact to come to fruition before the campaign begins.
Wilson adds that Jackson remains “open and interested in a long-term deal with the Ravens.” His participation in camp is further evidence that any animosity between himself and GM Eric DeCosta has been minimal at worst (something which is particularly significant since the two have handled negotiations directly). With the door open to a deal being reached in the near future – apparently to a greater extent than at any other point this offseason – this situation remains a crucially important one for all sides involved.
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