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The Lamar Jackson mystery continues to grow
Posted by Mike Florio on May 26, 2022, 11:17 AM EDT


The Ravens have a unique and largely unprecedented problem. And they have no idea how to solve it.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson’s long-term status with the team remains a mystery. He won’t engage the team on a contract, even though the team is ready to give him a major new deal. He insists that he doesn’t want to leave, but he’s not acting like he wants to stay.

Four weeks ago, he complained on social media about the team’s decision to trade receiver Hollywood Brown, even though Jackson knew Brown wanted out.

Now, Jackson is skipping OTAs. The Ravens are downplaying it, because they have no choice. They’ll downplay everything Jackson does or doesn’t do — until they become sufficiently exasperated with Jackson to move on from him.

Here’s the simple reality. Even though the offseason program is mandatory, OTAs are football practices that allow teams to install much of their offensive and defensive playbooks for the coming season. There’s value in having key players there, especially the quarterback.

Indeed, if the team’s assessment of Jackson’s contract posture is accurate, it’s all the more reason for Jackson to attend.

“The kid is so obsessed with winning a Super Bowl, that I think deep down, he doesn’t think he’s worthy,” owner Steve Bisciotti said in March. “I think he wants that to say, ‘Now, I deserve to be on top.'”

Fine. But to get to the top, he needs to climb. The climb happens now, during OTAs. If Jackson hopes to have a special season, the foundation for special is being laid now.

From 2018 through 2021, Jackson attended the OTAs. So why skip them now?

It’s all part of a mystery that the Ravens don’t want or need. And it underscores the existence of very real questions about whether any given year will be his last year with the team.

 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...inues-to-grow/

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Lololol Rappoport:

The #Browns  and franchise tagged TE David Njoku have reached an agreement in principle on a large new 4-year, $56.75M contract extension, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. He gets $28M guaranteed at signing on the deal that averages $14.1875M per year, the fifth highest paid TE.

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14 hours ago, HoosierCat said:

Lololol Rappoport:

The #Browns  and franchise tagged TE David Njoku have reached an agreement in principle on a large new 4-year, $56.75M contract extension, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. He gets $28M guaranteed at signing on the deal that averages $14.1875M per year, the fifth highest paid TE.

How do the Browns keep giving out these top 5 position contracts, when they are already in cap hell?

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11 hours ago, redsbengalsbucks said:

How do the Browns keep giving out these top 5 position contracts, when they are already in cap hell?

They will have tough cap decisions coming.  Watson only counts 10-11m against the cap this year.   Balloons to $54m next year. 
 

Ward same thing.   Counts $5m this year then $12m, then $23m 

 

 

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On 5/28/2022 at 7:20 PM, AMPHAR said:

They will have tough cap decisions coming.  Watson only counts 10-11m against the cap this year.   Balloons to $54m next year. 
 

Ward same thing.   Counts $5m this year then $12m, then $23m 

 

 

So they went all in this year.  Next year they’ll be cutting guys.  Watson will be suspended at least  half the season this year.  Absolute idiocy.  They had quite a window there, starting to shut now.  Bringing OBJ in was a massive mistake.  He turned the team against the Olive Garden Parking Lot Cowboy, who despite his flaws was at least intensely competitive.  Before he got there that team didn’t do shit, no leadership.  He’s weird as hell but he will do almost anything to win.  

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Browns are screwed if Watson gets a year ban.   They have postponed a lot of cap hits so their window is now and shorter than the Burrow Bengals. 

Eventually his mega contract will hit.  The salary cap is going to grow but teams with mega QB cap hits must get that franchise level play and are often saying goodbye to franchise level players. 

Recent examples in Green Bay and KC with their WRs.  

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It's funny having a true franchise QB and it's true what they say about you either have one or you don't.
The issues that come along with both present their own challenges.

If you do have one, their contract is inevitable going to make it harder to retain high end talent at many positions.
If you don't, you can afford more talent, but then have to hope that talent is enough to make up for not having a franchise QB.

I think I will take our situation, hope for the best before Burrow's contract hits and then see how the organization handles things.

Cleveland ??  Yeah, hope they don't plan on seeing Watson much, if at all, this season.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Damn. RIP

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Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson has died at the age of 26, the team announced Wednesday.

Ferguson died in Baltimore, according to his agent, Safarrah Lawson. The Baltimore City Police Department said it will be classified as an open questionable death investigation until a cause of death is determined.

"We are profoundly saddened by the tragic passing of Jaylon Ferguson," the team said in a statement. "He was a kind, respectful young man with a big smile and infectious personality. We express our heartfelt condolences to Jaylon's family and friends as we mourn a life lost much too soon."

Ferguson, a third-round pick by the Ravens in 2019, had participated in all of the team's offseason practices this year. It appeared that he had worked hard to be in the best shape of his career, dropping a significant amount of weight.

Known as "Sack Daddy" coming out of Louisiana Tech, Ferguson holds the FBS record for career sacks with 45. In three NFL seasons, he totaled 67 tackles and 4.5 sacks.

Leaves behind 3 kids, all under five. 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34129833/baltimore-ravens-lb-jaylon-ferguson-dies-age-26

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Excited to discard Cleveland from the division conversation when the suspension is official. I’d said earlier in the offseason that I didn’t think he’d get suspended, probably out of cynicism. Now it looks like he’ll miss too much time for them to salvage 2022, and they couldn’t deserve it more.

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