RAVENS QB LAMAR JACKSON ANNOUNCES HE REQUESTED FOR A TRADE BEFORE HC JOHN HARBAUGH INTERVIEW
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson revealed on Monday that he had requested a trade from the Ravens organization on March 2nd.
A statement released on Jackson’s private Twitter account, labeled ‘A letter to my fans’ read; “I want to first thank you all for all of the love and support you consistently show towards me. All of you are amazing and I appreciate y’all so much. I want you all to know not to believe everything you read about me. Let me personally answer your questions in regards to my future plans.
“As of March 2nd, I requested a trade from the Ravens organization for which the Ravens have not been interested in meeting my value. Any and every one that’s met me or been around me know I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team win the Super Bowl.
“You all (sic) are great but I had to make a business decision that was best for my family and I. No matter how far I go or where my career takes me, I’ll continue to be close to my fans of Baltimore Flock nation and the entire state of Maryland. You’ll see me again. Truzzzzz.”
Jackson tweeted just minutes before Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was set to meet the media during the NFL Owners Meeting in Arizona. Asked about the announcement, Harbaugh said, “I haven’t seen the tweet. I’m following it very closely, just like everyone else is here and I’m looking forward to a resolution.”
Harbaugh went on to say that he was excited and “was thinking about Lamar [Jackson] all the time,” and about him as the team’s quarterback.
The Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson on March 7, a tag that keeps him in Baltimore for yet another year. The tender is worth $32.416 million in 2023 and both parties have until July 17 to reach an extension before Jackson has to play this year under the tag. The non-exclusive nature of the tag allows Jackson to test the market and negotiate with other clubs, but allows the Ravens to match whatever offer sheet Jackson gets offered by any of the other 31 teams.
Speaking to reporters in Phoenix, head coach John Harbaugh was optimistic about the situation getting resolved. “In the end you got good people working together,” he said. ”… I just appreciate that it has been handled with class. Lamar has handled it with class and Eric [DeCosta], and Steve [Bisciotti], Ozzie [Newsome], and all the people involved on that side have handled it with class.
“…It’s a unique situation but when we [Jackson and the organization] get back together and I’m really hopeful that that happens, that’s what I want to see, it’s going to be great. It’s going to be good.”
Lamar Jackson publicly confirming that he has requested a trade from the Ravens makes it clear to both fans and other teams that he is willing to move on from Baltimore and certainly sparks some fire into the Jackson market.
With teams now aware that Jackson is feeling estranged and is open to move shop, owners and head coaches around the league might think twice about the situation. The big question now is, who is willing and able to put on the table, for arguably one of the best players in the league, a price that could include at least two first-round draft picks and over $200 million in guaranteed money.
Head coach John Harbaugh remains confident about the team’s chances of keeping Lamar Jackson and insisted he was planning his 2023 offense around him being their starting quarterback. “Of course,” he said. “You prepare for all contingencies but you build a great offense for your players. That’s what you do. Lamar’s under contract and of course, that’s the guy I want to see be our quarterback. That’s my guy.
“We made a decision to go with Lamar Jackson five years ago. Why? Because we love him. We love him. We love the way he plays. We love his mindset, his charisma, his style, the way he is in the locker room, everything about him.”
Jackson is an epitome of what a franchise quarterback should be and has thus far remained cooperative throughout negotiations. Loved by his teammates, current and former Ravens didn’t waste time supporting him on social media after the news went public. Ravens Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey said, “Handle your business! We always here though” while former Ravens safety DeShon Elliott tweeted, “Come to the Dolphins.”
Current free agent and former Ravens defensive back Tony Jefferson II also chimed in on the conversation, saying it was better if Jackson and the organization parted ways. “In my opinion, I think at this point it’s best Lamar and the Ravens go their separate ways,” he said. “It’s been a hell of a ride. Lamar is the best talent I’ve seen or been around and someone whom players love to play for. It’s in best interest for both sides to move in a different direction.”
While most Ravens fans won’t be supportive of Jefferson’s input, the extension saga has dragged on for months and both parties still seem to be quite a distance away from agreeing to a deal. With relationships becoming more and more strained and everyone involved growing increasingly frustrated, it might be time for both parties to call it quits.
With most of the Jackson conversation centered on his lack of weapons at the receiver position, head coach John Harbaugh confirmed on Monday that they will address wide receiver in the draft. “I have seen like forty receivers now on tape,” said Harbaugh. “… I think it is a really deep draft at receiver and there’s a lot of guys that fit the way we want to play.”
“And the next step is going to be getting with Coach [Todd] Monken, Coach [Greg] Lewis, Coach [Tee] Martin, Coach [Willie] Taggart, and talking about, ‘Okay for what we’re trying to build offensively, which of these guys do you like the best in terms of targeting who we are going to go after?’ Because we’re going to draft a receiver.”
The Ravens also added former Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots wide receiver, Nelson Agholor, last week and are hoping to get back third-year wide receiver Rashod Bateman to full health before the start of training camp.
In the meantime, the ball is now in the Ravens’ court as the team will decide what to do with a situation that is increasingly becoming unstable. For now, Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti and General Manager Eric DeCosta, will have to decide between setting a league precedent in guaranteed money as far as the quarterback market is concerned or parting ways with one of the most electric quarterbacks in the league in exchange for draft capital.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.