Ravens Place the Franchise Tag on QB Lamar Jackson

This is no surprise to anyone, but the Ravens have placed the franchise tag on QB Lamar Jackson ahead of this afternoon’s deadline.

There’s no denying that Jackson is a game-changer. The Ravens are 40-17 when he is on the field. They average 27.5 points per game when he is under center. However, in 13 games without Jackson since 2019, Baltimore is 4-9. They averaged just 17.2 points per game in that span.

Still, Jackson’s durability concerns, which shined brightest at the worst time for him, are why the Ravens are reluctant to meet his demands.

Jackson wants a fully guaranteed contract from the Ravens. But, as of today, the Ravens have balked at that request. Jackson turned down a five-year, $250 million contract in September, including $133 million guaranteed.

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, all of Jackson’s counteroffers to the Ravens have been for fully guaranteed money in the $250 million range. That means Jackson and the Ravens are roughly $120 million apart regarding guaranteed money.

The Ravens have placed the non-exclusive tag on Lamar Jackson. Under this tag, they’ll pay Jackson only $32.4 million. That will allow Jackson to negotiate with other teams. More importantly, it guarantees the Ravens to two first-round picks as compensation if he was to sign elsewhere.