The franchise tag deadline came and went at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday, and the biggest development is undoubtedly the Baltimore Ravens’ decision to apply the non-exclusive franchise tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Jackson is now free to negotiate with the league’s other 31 teams, and should he sign an offer sheet, the Ravens can either match it or receive a pair of first-round picks as compensation.
It’s a stunning move born of months of failed negotiations between the team and a star player representing himself and of an apparent belief by the Ravens that Jackson isn’t worth what he’s seeking on a new deal. It’s a franchise-defining gamble.
And it’s going to blow up in the Ravens’ faces.
There was a time not that long ago when this falling-out seemed laughably far-fetched. Back in January, head coach John Harbaugh sounded like a man who absolutely expected Jackson to be the team’s quarterback in 2023.
“One hundred percent, 200 percent,” Harbaugh told reporters when asked if Jackson was still considered the franchise cornerstone. “There’s no question about it. Lamar Jackson is our quarterback.
“… Everything we’ve done in terms of building our offense and building our team … is based on this incredible young man, his talent, his ability and his competitiveness. … That’s the kind of guys we want to build this team around—guys that love football and guys that love to compete.”
Even on Tuesday, general manager Eric DeCosta released a statement indicating that the Ravens still hope to have Jackson under center this season.
“Having not yet reached a long-term deal with Lamar Jackson, we will use the franchise tag. There have been many instances across the league and in Baltimore when a player has been designated with the franchise tag and signed a long-term deal that same year. We will continue to negotiate in good faith with Lamar, and we are hopeful that we can strike a long-term deal that is fair to both Lamar and the Ravens. Our ultimate goal is to build a championship team with Lamar Jackson leading the way for many years to come.”
But in using the non-exclusive tag that will pay about $32.4 million as opposed to the exclusive rights tag (of about $45 million) that would have given Baltimore exclusive negotiating rights with Jackson, the Ravens have sent a message that they aren’t confident that the gap in money between player and team can be bridged. Either that or they flat don’t want to.
To be fair, that gap is allegedly large. There have long been reports that Jackson is seeking a fully guaranteed contract similar to the five-year, $230 million pact Deshaun Watson got from Cleveland last year (although Jackson’s camp denied this, per ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith).
Other reports have indicated that the two sides could be upward of $100 million apart in guarantees. In any event, it’s a gulf large enough that DeCosta just opened the door and told Jackson, “Go see what you are worth on the open market, and then we’ll talk some more.”
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