The Baltimore Ravens could lose one of the league’s greatest young quarterbacks after Lamar Jackson requested a trade from the franchise that selected him in the first round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Jackson tweeted on March 2 that he sought the trade because the Ravens had “not been interested in meeting my value”. Jackson has been hoping for a contract akin to Deshaun Watson’s fully guaranteed $230 million deal from the Cleveland Browns last year.
“I love the game of football, and my dream is to help a team win the Super Bowl,” Jackson tweeted on Monday. He went on to say that Ravens fans are “great,” but he needed to make a business decision that was best for his family and himself. No matter where my career takes me, I will always be close to my Baltimore Flock fans and the entire state of Maryland. “You will see me again.”
The Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag to Jackson earlier this month, which means he will be paid $32.4 million this season but can join any club that offers a better deal. The Ravens would receive two first-round draft picks in exchange for Jackson, who does not have an agent and represents himself. When the Ravens applied the tag, there appeared to be no bids for Jackson, leading many to believe no other clubs were willing to match the quarterback’s demands.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh stated on Monday that he expects Jackson will remain in Baltimore.
“I have not seen the tweet. “It’s an ongoing process,” Harbaugh explained. “I’m watching it very closely… I think about Lamar all the time. Thinking about him as our quarterback. We’re planning our offense around that premise.”
According to ESPN, the 26-year-old declined a deal last September that would have paid him $133 million guaranteed at signing and $200 million in total guarantees if he joined the Ravens on the fifth day of the 2026 league year.
Jackson was named the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player, and his explosive passing and running make him one of the game’s most captivating players. He is already one of six quarterbacks in NFL history to have accumulated 10,000 throwing yards and 4,000 rushing. His 12 games of at least 100 yards rushing set an NFL record.
Jackson has been injured at the end of the previous two seasons, and the Ravens have yet to win the AFC championship with him, but his impact on their offense is apparent.
