The most talented player on the Baltimor Ravens has signed a new contract with a different team due to an error in judgment.
Over the course of the Draft weekend, Lamar Jackson formally signed a contract to rejoin the Baltimore Ravens, capping the biggest contract saga of this NFL offseason.
Following several months of “he said, she said,” as Jackson himself describes it, the 26-year-old signed a $260 million, five-year contract with the Ravens to stay in Maryland.
The $52 million annual average of the contract would be the highest in NFL history. According to reports, Jackson’s contract also included a guaranteed sum of $185 million, of which $135 million was fully guaranteed.
However, reports that other teams were interested in snatching the 2019 NFL MVP from the team that drafted him fueled the process.
And he never really wanted to leave Baltimore, even though he acknowledges that he answered calls from other teams.
“I really didn’t care for other teams, to be honest with you,” Jackson said to the media at his signing press conference. “I simply wanted to finish this task as soon as possible.
It was my desire to be here. “Man, okay, other teams cool, but I want to be a Raven,” I said to myself. Before anything else, before my time ran out, I truly wanted to finish this and move on to something else. I genuinely hope to win a Super Bowl and conclude my career here.
On September 18, 2022, Jackson and Demarcus Robinson celebrate a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins.
On September 18, 2022, Jackson and Demarcus Robinson celebrate a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins. Rob Carr and Getty Images
Jackson, who acted as his own agent the entire time, stated that it was wise to hold off on returning until the right deal was reached, but he is eager for what lies ahead.
It’s an enterprise. After all, it’s a business,” he remarked. “You need to be mentally tough if you want to represent yourself.
“It’s not about feelings, so I wouldn’t advise you to go out there and put your feelings in it. At the end of the day, handling business requires maturity, so you must be a mature man.”
The Los Angeles Rams select Desjuan Johnson with the third overall pick by Melanie Fitch on Saturday, April 29, 2023, in Kansas City, Missouri, during the third day of the NFL football draft. The last selection is known as the Mr. Irrelevant selection.
Who is the ‘Mr Irrelevant’ for this year, Desjuan Johnson?
Regarding the procedure, Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta stated, “I was dealing with Lamar Jackson the agent… He was extremely impressive, straightforward, honest, patient, and demanding. Not everything was simple. Handling Lamar Jackson the player is preferable to me.
“I won’t tell you a lie and say that every day was wonderful. It’s been a while now. However, we were adamant that paying him the highest salary in the league was the right decision. It was very logical. All it needed was a lot of patience.
Considering the future
Jackson quickly focused on the Ravens’ upcoming schedule: “We’re going to talk about the future today. My concerns about the past aren’t that great. We will continue to focus on the events of the current year and the next five years.
The offensive coaching staff and the group Jackson will throw the ball to were completely redesigned by the Ravens during the period when the two teams were negotiating the new contract.
The addition of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and the selection of Zay Flowers in the first round of the NFL Draft were the two most notable among them.
Jackson is eager to work with his teammates again because of these two additions as well as the appointment of Todd Monken as the team’s offensive coordinator.
Jackson claims that after the Ravens made offseason improvements to the offense, things in Baltimore appear to be looking up.
Jackson claims that after the Ravens made offseason improvements to the offense, things in Baltimore appear to be looking up. Patrick Smith via Getty Images
He said, “To be honest with you, I’m very eager.” “I believe I said to someone, ‘With the weapons we have, I want to throw for 6,000 yards.'”
“I’m not the kind of guy who watches stats or looks at individual awards. I simply want to do that because I believe we have the means to accomplish it and because no one has ever done it. These guys are explosive.
“Like the coach mentioned, Rashied Bateman, Zay, and OBJ, our new additions, will all be fully healthy. .. I will always remember Mark Andrews, my boy Mark, and (Isaiah) Likely. I’m eager to get started, so
