Earlier this NFL offseason, the Baltimore Ravens announced that they had applied the non-exclusive franchise tag to superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson.
The non-exclusive tag means that other teams can offer a contract to Jackson, which would then give the Ravens the option to either match the offer and retain the star or let him walk and acquire multiple future first-round picks in the process.
Now, a new report has indicated that the Ravens feel quietly confident that they’ll be able to match any offer sheet that were to come across Jackson’s desk.
“Ravens officials have expressed quiet confidence that they’ll be able to match any offer sheet for Jackson if they so choose,” Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic reported. “But the questions remain: Will he sign one, and with whom?”
It’s been interesting to see how little interest Jackson has garnered since the franchise tag was applied to him. At first, there was some clamoring on social media that the NFL was trying to send a message to Jackson and other star quarterbacks that high contract desires would not be met.
However, it now appears more possible that other NFL teams are not interested in extending offer sheets to Jackson because they know that the Ravens plan to match them.
Overall, it is hard to predict exactly what is going to happen from here on out. What isn’t hard to predict is that wherever Jackson plays next season and beyond, he’s going to be a dominant force.
The University of Louisville product is one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the league today. However, there is definitely some concern about his ability to stay healthy. Last season, he played in just 12 games. He managed to play in just 12 contests in the 2021 season as well.
Surely, one of the reasons why the Ravens — and any other team for that matter — is possibly concerned about giving him a massive, fully guaranteed deal is because of those questions revolving around his longevity and health.
Last season, Jackson went 8-4 in his starts and threw for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He added 112 rushes for 764 yards and three scores.
Clearly, his situation is one to keep an eye on as the offseason progresses.
