NFL decision sheds new light on past Ravens-Lamar Jackson negotiations
NFL ruling reveals a harsh truth about the quarterback market and raises questions about past Lamar Jackson contract negotiations.
Every now and then, a ruling settles a case but opens a much bigger conversation. That's exactly what happened as the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson wade through the waters of constructing a deal that's fair to both sides, but here's what may have flown under the radar. Meanwhile, the NFL Players Association has been working through a collusion dispute.
Per a recent ESPN story , a three-person panel ruled there wasn't enough evidence to prove teams worked together to suppress the fully guaranteed contract values of Kyler Murray, Russell Wilson, and Lamar Jackson. There was speculation of collusion among the owners after Deshaun Watson reset the market with a fully guaranteed $230 million deal. The panel acknowledged that teams were essentially encouraged to align their approach to quarterback contracts as they "were being invited to participate in collusion.
" They even labeled the effort "improper", but they also ruled there was insufficient evidence to prove that teams took part in that collusion. Here's where Lamar Jackson enters the conversation. When he negotiated his deal with the Ravens, he did so without an agent and leaned on betting on himself and family guidance.
He landed a five-year contract that reset the market in annual value. Did Lamar Jackson miss out on more guaranteed money in 2022? No, he didn't match the fully guaranteed structure of Watson's deal, but he did earn a ton of money.