Every 12 months we’re reminded with completely zero uncertainty the NFL is ~a quarterback league~. This is a non-negotiable take. You have or you haven’t. And even when you have got, generally it is not sufficient. Just ask the Raiders, who shuttered Derek Carr into free company lower than a 12 months right into a newly-signed contract extension. Teams routinely pay outrageous costs when it comes to present and future draft capital to maneuver up and take a flier on an unknown commodity within the draft.
And but, when Lamar Jackson turned out there for any NFL group by way of Baltimore inserting the non-exclusive franchise tag on their beginning quarterback … not one NFL group is ?
This is a former MVP we’re speaking about, one of the vital electrical athletes in all {of professional} sports activities, a respectable franchise quarterback who turned 26 years previous in January.
We’ve by no means seen a case of a quarterback being dangled like this for the entire quarterback-needy NFL to return after him. This is a cutthroat league the place the margins are skinny and having a quarterback separates you, not simply within the capacity to pursue a Super Bowl, but in addition in fan curiosity, each domestically and nationally.
The Carolina Panthers are largely irrelevant on a nationwide stage. The Panthers with Lamar Freaking Jackson? That’s a group getting a number of primetime video games yearly and the fast favourite to win the NFC South. The very same case might be made for the Atlanta Falcons. And, my goodness, Lamar recreating Vick 2.0 in some pink, white and black unis could be unbelievable.
We’ll be denied that aesthetic, nevertheless, as a result of Atlanta, very like Carolina — together with each different quarterback-needy group within the NFL — simply is not concerned about trying to even pursue Lamar. They’re not even going to examine in and see what Lamar may wish to purchase him.
The full lack of curiosity in Lamar is even wilder than Lamar being opened as much as all the league for negotiation. And the explanation appears painfully apparent: NFL homeowners are adamant about squashing out the concept of quarterbacks getting totally assured contracts.
Lamar’s predicament was created when the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson and gave him a assured, $230 million deal, regardless of Watson dealing with double-digit accusations of off-field sexual misconduct. As our personal Jason LaCanfora reported in March of 2022, the deal Cleveland proprietor Jimmy Haslam gave Watson drew the ire of mainly each different NFL proprietor.
The Browns weren’t actually in on Watson till Haslam was prepared to interrupt rank — and precedent — and provides Watson a deal nobody else within the league was prepared to supply up.
Watson hadn’t performed soccer in properly over a 12 months, required a number of excessive draft picks to accumulate, wished a monster contract extension and was coping with unprecedented off-field points. Yet the Browns have been in on him, as have been the Falcons and Panthers in accordance with loads of reviews.
Lamar’s in the very same spot, solely he is been extra productive, has a greater harm historical past (Watson has a number of torn ACLs courting again to varsity), has an MVP and there is not any negotiation with the Ravens in regards to the compensation if a proposal sheet is agreed to.
Despite that, at least 5 NFL groups very publicly leaked out their lack of curiosity in Jackson with an unbelievable quickness. Following the Ravens saying on Twitter they have been tagging Lamar at 3:02 p.m. ET on Tuesday, we bought a flurry of reviews from varied reporters.
The Falcons — a consensus finest touchdown spot for Lamar — let Dianni Russini of ESPN know they have been out on Lamar by 3:16 p.m. ET.
I can not even select what I need for lunch that quick, a lot much less make a franchise-altering resolution. Jackson would THRIVE in Arthur Smith’s offense and make the Falcons instantly related, however certain. The Raiders shortly adopted swimsuit, letting or not it’s recognized they have been “unlikely” to chase after Jackson.
Acknowledging Mark Davis doubtless does not have the liquidity to really pay Jackson (extra on that in a minute) and ignoring what his father would have performed (commerce for Jackson in a freaking heartbeat), I’d prefer to level out the one quarterback presently on the Raiders roster is Chase Garbers. I’d guess not less than 50% of the individuals studying this cannot be 100% certain if I made that identify up or not.
By 4:30 p.m. ET, the Panthers let or not it’s recognized they weren’t ilikely n the Lamar enterprise both.
David Tepper has been rejected a number of instances in an try and commerce for a franchise quarterback, together with Watson, Matthew Stafford and — not even joking right here — Carson Wentz. Lamar Jackson’s on the block and he does not even wish to examine in on what it would take to accumulate him? Again, certain.
The Dolphins bought the phrase out as properly, citing their satisfaction on the QB place with Tua Tagovailoa.
This could be cheap if there weren’t 1) medical considerations surrounding Tua’s future and a couple of) a persistent buzz about Tom Brady and the Dolphins consistently lingering.
Even Danny’s Snyder’s Washington Commanders don’t need in on the Lamar biz.
I’ve lined the NFL in some capability for 15+ years. I’ve seen lots of bizarre stuff, even for those who simply wish to slim it right down to Tag Day. One time the Broncos misplaced Elvis Dumervil as a result of they effed up a fax to the league workplace. Never, ever have I seen an precise, respectable franchise quarterback come out there and have five-plus NFL groups *instantly* leak out their disinterest in him.
Either we’re all drastically undervaluing the considerations with Lamar or one thing else is afoot. So what are these considerations, precisely? Some of them are fairly viable, however I’m largely taking part in satan’s avocado within the curiosity of presenting either side.
Draft picks
Giving up a number of first-round picks just isn’t one thing NFL groups wish to do. Two first-round picks for any NFL participant is a reasonably steep value, nevertheless it’s completely inline with what we have seen different franchise quarterbacks go for within the commerce market lately. The Rams and Broncos gave up comparable hauls for Matthew Stafford and Russell Wilson, respectively. And this is not two firsts for a cost-controlled participant you’d get within the draft.
The Contract
This is the massive one right here. Lamar, by all accounts, desires a fully-guaranteed deal. The Ravens selected to let the market inform him what his worth was and the market magically dried up! We will not ever know what Lamar is likely to be prepared to take as a result of groups aren’t even floating out provide sheets. A completely-guaranteed deal would require matching each greenback in escrow (an antiquated rule from a time when not each NFL proprietor had a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of {dollars}), which is one thing even the wealthiest NFL proprietor does not wish to cope with (once more, extra on that in a second). If we’re speaking max ensures, that is a possible downside with the wage cap, regardless that the wage cap increasingly seems to obviously be a fantasy.
Lack of an agent
Lamar is representing himself. There’s nothing incorrect with that and I applaud his entrepreneurship. But not having an agent makes it harder to get a deal performed. Agents are incentivized — each when it comes to their status and financials — to get a deal performed. They’ve labored with most of those NFL groups earlier than and might discuss their purchasers into taking sure offers. Lamar is steadfast right here. Good for him. It does make it harder for NFL groups in negotiations.
Scheme/Fit
Again, I’m simply mentioning potential arguments, so do not yell at me for this one. It is totally cheap for some NFL coaches, entrance workplaces or homeowners to have considerations about fashioning an offense round Lamar’s explicit skillset. I might inform anybody who maks that declare they are a coward and coach price his salt might work out how one can make Lamar work. Additionally, if a group does not consider they are a quarterback away and are in the course of a rebuild, there is a cheap argument for not giving up the capital. Unfortunately, all of those groups have been aggressive in pursuing quarterbacks lately. What modified?!
Injuries
Lamar’s solely performed in 12 video games every of the final two years. He performs a mode of soccer that, due to his operating skillset, can justifiably be known as regarding for his long-term well being. He’s not constructed like Cam Newton or Josh Allen. If you wished to inform your self a narrative re: considerations for long-term well being, you could possibly do it. Maybe not a great story, however you could possibly mislead your self.
So…
What appears extra doubtless: NFL homeowners need Watson’s cope with the Browns to shortly turn into an outlier and really a lot not the norm. The Bengals and Chargers are dealing with monster extensions for Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, respectively. Those two homeowners aren’t Tepper or a Wal-Mart inheritor. The liquidity to place $250 million (give or take a number of millies) in escrow over a five-year span is not simple, even for somebody with a billion {dollars}.
The franchise tag was designed by NFL homeowners to stop key gamers from turning into out there to the remainder of the league. Specifically quarterbacks and really particularly younger quarterbacks on the finish of their contracts. Restricting participant motion was a trademark of NFL dynasties for years, till Reggie White busted free company open. You do not see a participant of this caliber hit the market. You simply do not!
The thought of Baltimore dangling Lamar to all the league, and nobody having ANY INTEREST WHATSOEVER, is simply wild. A 26-year-old former MVP merely DOES NOT turn into out there within the NFL with no curiosity from different groups.
And not simply no curiosity however a really fast lack of curiosity from a bunch of groups who’ve been aggressively pursuing quarterback options for the final 3-5 years.
There’s a just about zero p.c likelihood of something occurring right here. Good luck proving a bunch of NFL homeowners do not wish to purchase Lamar Jackson merely to suppress a rogue contract given to a different participant in an analogous state of affairs only a 12 months in the past. But that actuality makes much more sense than the concept of nobody even wanting to think about buying a 26-year-old former MVP.
