Lamar Jackson is the best QB in the NFL & Fantasy

[murphysxm]

I don't think it's as much about asking price right now as it is Lamar betting on himself to make more money as the cap goes up. To me it sounds like the player wants to go the Cousins route here and not ownership. Lamar could probably get a nice extension now, maybe the price isn't enough and he wants to gamble for a few more Millions

I think you are 100% correct. Kirk Cousins made so much more money by being tagged like he was it is crazy. That tag number goes up every year and is the best way Jackson can maximize his salary, as long as he stays healthy.......

[FantasyFreak]

I don't think it's as much about asking price right now as it is Lamar betting on himself to make more money as the cap goes up. To me it sounds like the player wants to go the Cousins route here and not ownership. Lamar could probably get a nice extension now, maybe the price isn't enough and he wants to gamble for a few more Millions

I think you are 100% correct. Kirk Cousins made so much more money by being tagged like he was it is crazy. That tag number goes up every year and is the best way Jackson can maximize his salary, as long as he stays healthy.......

Don't think people were assuming Cousins should be the next man up, with highest contract, like some here seem to think Lamar should be, though. The guaranteed money is much more favourable, if he can get it. He can always re-negotiate, or hold out for larger deal, after he's signed one. I don't think Ravens ownership is willing to back the Brinks truck up, reading the tea leaves, so Lamar's decision is betting on more money over those 2 years with a tag. If he were being offered anything close to Allen's deal, or Dak's, I think he'd take it, or should take it, but I don't think he is getting that type of offer. I think the tag is most likely, as it stands right now, and probably best for both sides based on how they feel.

[Sriracha]

I don't think it's as much about asking price right now as it is Lamar betting on himself to make more money as the cap goes up. To me it sounds like the player wants to go the Cousins route here and not ownership. Lamar could probably get a nice extension now, maybe the price isn't enough and he wants to gamble for a few more Millions

I think you are 100% correct. Kirk Cousins made so much more money by being tagged like he was it is crazy. That tag number goes up every year and is the best way Jackson can maximize his salary, as long as he stays healthy.......

Don't think people were assuming Cousins should be the next man up, with highest contract, like some here seem to think Lamar should be, though. The guaranteed money is much more favourable, if he can get it. He can always re-negotiate, or hold out for larger deal, after he's signed one. I don't think Ravens ownership is willing to back the Brinks truck up, reading the tea leaves, so Lamar's decision is betting on more money over those 2 years with a tag. If he were being offered anything close to Allen's deal, or Dak's, I think he'd take it, or should take it, but I don't think he is getting that type of offer. I think the tag is most likely, as it stands right now, and probably best for both sides based on how they feel.

You could be right but this quote makes me believe that they have tried to make him the highest paid QB at some point and he turned it down:

"The kid is so obsessed with winning a Super Bowl, that I think deep down, he doesn't think he's worthy," Bisciotti said. "I think he wants that to say, 'Now, I deserve to be on top.' People can speculate any way they want. I don't think he is turned on by money that much and he knows it's coming one way or the other."

[Anteaters]

I wouldn't personally give that to Lamar. He's not in the same class of player. I think 5th year option and tagging twice is a good strategy, with my level of belief in Lamar. You and I are polar opposites in how we view him. You think he's elite, and I don't think he's anything close to that at this point. He had an elite year that he'll never come close to again. He's a QB that depends on his speed and mobility, and that's a risk as he gets older. Not a guy that is going to be playing into his mid/late 30's as an elite QB. I think the Ravens would do well to only pay him in his 20's, and see where things are at in a few years. That, or trade him for a haul and let someone else give him gobs of money. The Ravens couldn't sniff a Super Bowl on Lamar's rookie deal as the last pick of the first round, I don't see them sniffing one paying him something like 45 million a year.

I will predict that if Baltimore follows your (not necessarily bad from a team perspective) advice to tag him for two years, they will lose every opportunity to sign him when he becomes an unrestricted FA. If you're right and his talent deteriorates, the team wins that gamble. If you're wrong and Lamar follows the recent trend of QBs remaining big producers into their mid 30s, the team loses big time.

[Yarnith]

I will predict that if Baltimore follows your (not necessarily bad from a team perspective) advice to tag him for two years, they will lose every opportunity to sign him when he becomes an unrestricted FA. If you're right and his talent deteriorates, the team wins that gamble. If you're wrong and Lamar follows the recent trend of QBs remaining big producers into their mid 30s, the team loses big time.

Most rush yards in a season by qb at least 30 years old?
Vick 676yds

To follow trends of productive high end QB play he has to learn how to read a safety and stay healthy. So yeah bet 50million that is gonna suddenly happen. Remember that 1 time Lamar sneaked past 3000yds passing in his career? Same amount of times Daniel Jones has done it.

[dynastyninja]

Unless the salary demands truly are outrageous, Baltimore has to pay Lamar. He's too important to their team and they would be in a world of hurt if they had to start over at QB.

[mild]

If you're right and his talent deteriorates, the team wins that gamble. If you're wrong and Lamar follows the recent trend of QBs remaining big producers into their mid 30s, the team loses big time.

This highlights the lose-lose aspect of this scenario in a nutshell for the Ravens. It's not like any team can base their future planning on "the bad path" outcomes when they're handing out QB mega-extensions (which they are very much trying to do)... Lamar has kind of got them by the nuts here; if he doesn't like the terms, he just won't sign.

Considering it's his mother as his agent, I do wonder if she is perhaps motivated differently to the way most agents are (ie by a cut of the eventual mega-contract). If you take a -very- zoomed out view of QB in the NFL right now, the simple takeaway on contracts would be "the longer you wait, the bigger they get, and the more leverage the player gains in negotiation".

Knowing full well that Watson is likely to miss between a quarter to potentially all of the 2022 season, we just saw the Browns hand out the most ridiculous QB contract yet - and fully guaranteed - in order to sate the player, and keep him in Cleveland long term.

Play out the worst/longest case scenario for Lamar - he plays under a franchise tag, perhaps twice, and gets injured with an ACL or knee injury, and the Ravens finally let him test Free Agency in that offseason as a 27/28 year old. After seeing the Watson contract - do we really not think he'd still command a mega contract from -some- team that convinces themselves he's their long term answer?

[FantasyFreak]

I think you are 100% correct. Kirk Cousins made so much more money by being tagged like he was it is crazy. That tag number goes up every year and is the best way Jackson can maximize his salary, as long as he stays healthy.......

Don't think people were assuming Cousins should be the next man up, with highest contract, like some here seem to think Lamar should be, though. The guaranteed money is much more favourable, if he can get it. He can always re-negotiate, or hold out for larger deal, after he's signed one. I don't think Ravens ownership is willing to back the Brinks truck up, reading the tea leaves, so Lamar's decision is betting on more money over those 2 years with a tag. If he were being offered anything close to Allen's deal, or Dak's, I think he'd take it, or should take it, but I don't think he is getting that type of offer. I think the tag is most likely, as it stands right now, and probably best for both sides based on how they feel.

You could be right but this quote makes me believe that they have tried to make him the highest paid QB at some point and he turned it down:

"The kid is so obsessed with winning a Super Bowl, that I think deep down, he doesn't think he's worthy," Bisciotti said. "I think he wants that to say, 'Now, I deserve to be on top.' People can speculate any way they want. I don't think he is turned on by money that much and he knows it's coming one way or the other."

I don't this so. If that's the case, he's just plain stupid, and I don't think he is.

[FantasyFreak]

I wouldn't personally give that to Lamar. He's not in the same class of player. I think 5th year option and tagging twice is a good strategy, with my level of belief in Lamar. You and I are polar opposites in how we view him. You think he's elite, and I don't think he's anything close to that at this point. He had an elite year that he'll never come close to again. He's a QB that depends on his speed and mobility, and that's a risk as he gets older. Not a guy that is going to be playing into his mid/late 30's as an elite QB. I think the Ravens would do well to only pay him in his 20's, and see where things are at in a few years. That, or trade him for a haul and let someone else give him gobs of money. The Ravens couldn't sniff a Super Bowl on Lamar's rookie deal as the last pick of the first round, I don't see them sniffing one paying him something like 45 million a year.

I will predict that if Baltimore follows your (not necessarily bad from a team perspective) advice to tag him for two years, they will lose every opportunity to sign him when he becomes an unrestricted FA. If you're right and his talent deteriorates, the team wins that gamble. If you're wrong and Lamar follows the recent trend of QBs remaining big producers into their mid 30s, the team loses big time.

IMO the best thing they could do would be to trade him for a haul to somebody. Not let him walk for free.

[FantasyFreak]

Unless the salary demands truly are outrageous, Baltimore has to pay Lamar. He's too important to their team and they would be in a world of hurt if they had to start over at QB.

They really don't. He hasn't made so much as an AFC title game yet, and he's trending in the wrong direction. I wouldn't give him guaranteed money, to the level now expected. People are glossing over this, but it's a MAJOR point. The guy is relevant because of his mobility. Without it he'd be a back end starter at best. Everything in the passing game he can hit is there because his legs open that up for him, and he's still regressing as a passer. Nobody wants to pay this guy 250 million guaranteed, not even half that. I am really not even sure how much he would get in a trade, due to these factors, and the team taking him on knowing he would want that. Imagine paying a couple of firsts, or 3!!! just to pay Lamar 250 million. You'd have to be insane IMO. Nope, the Ravens will likely tag him for 2 years after his rookie deal. If they pay him a big deal, I'm happy about it, as my team plays in the AFC. I just don't see anybody giving any really big compensation, but hey, the Browns did, so who knows. I just pity the fans of a team that pays multiple quality picks for the guy and pay him a huge contract. Lamar just really isn't that good, in my opinion.

[Sriracha]

I don't this so. If that's the case, he's just plain stupid, and I don't think he is.

I wouldn't call a man stupid for making his decisions based on his own values.

[FantasyFreak]

I don't this so. If that's the case, he's just plain stupid, and I don't think he is.

I wouldn't call a man stupid for making his decisions based on his own values.

Well, based on Lamar's values, he mentioned the desire to be a billionaire, so 150 million guaranteed dollars would be a good start towards that, no?. I was talking in hypotheticals, about contracts he hasn't, to our knowledge even been offered, and I use the "stupid" remark in a hypothetical context. Look, I don't want to argue about semantics with you, OK? In terms of a football fan looking at the QB market, and where he stands with his team, I am not sure he's getting a Watson mega contract to say the least, based on the owners remarks, and the tag 2 years in a row after this one still isn't going to hit close to 150 million, guaranteed, close to half that.

[Sriracha]

The tag is going to go up; Especially if these QB deals are affected by Watson's mega deal -- which they will be.

All I'm saying here is that people are complicated and there are all kinds of people out there with different motivations. Just because their values may not align with what you expect doesn't make them stupid. There's a far greater grey area here than simply 'BAL never offered him a big time contract because if they did he'd be stupid not to take it'.

Everything coming out here implies that that's not the case. From what the owner said about him to the rumors that Lamar may want out of BAL because he doesn't want to sign an extension.

Could all of that simply be a smoke screen by BAL in the event that they decide to move in a different direction at QB? Possibly, but we are jumping some steps when we assume this is all subterfuge.

[dynastyninja]

Unless the salary demands truly are outrageous, Baltimore has to pay Lamar. He's too important to their team and they would be in a world of hurt if they had to start over at QB.

They really don't. He hasn't made so much as an AFC title game yet, and he's trending in the wrong direction. I wouldn't give him guaranteed money, to the level now expected. People are glossing over this, but it's a MAJOR point. The guy is relevant because of his mobility. Without it he'd be a back end starter at best. Everything in the passing game he can hit is there because his legs open that up for him, and he's still regressing as a passer. Nobody wants to pay this guy 250 million guaranteed, not even half that. I am really not even sure how much he would get in a trade, due to these factors, and the team taking him on knowing he would want that. Imagine paying a couple of firsts, or 3!!! just to pay Lamar 250 million. You'd have to be insane IMO. Nope, the Ravens will likely tag him for 2 years after his rookie deal. If they pay him a big deal, I'm happy about it, as my team plays in the AFC. I just don't see anybody giving any really big compensation, but hey, the Browns did, so who knows. I just pity the fans of a team that pays multiple quality picks for the guy and pay him a huge contract. Lamar just really isn't that good, in my opinion.

I get what you're saying and I'm not a huge Lamar fan myself. That said, if Baltimore let's him leave, they're starting over at QB, which is worst case scenario for any NFL team with a franchise-level guy.

[Patsfan86]

Unless the salary demands truly are outrageous, Baltimore has to pay Lamar. He's too important to their team and they would be in a world of hurt if they had to start over at QB.

They really don't. He hasn't made so much as an AFC title game yet, and he's trending in the wrong direction. I wouldn't give him guaranteed money, to the level now expected. People are glossing over this, but it's a MAJOR point. The guy is relevant because of his mobility. Without it he'd be a back end starter at best. Everything in the passing game he can hit is there because his legs open that up for him, and he's still regressing as a passer. Nobody wants to pay this guy 250 million guaranteed, not even half that. I am really not even sure how much he would get in a trade, due to these factors, and the team taking him on knowing he would want that. Imagine paying a couple of firsts, or 3!!! just to pay Lamar 250 million. You'd have to be insane IMO. Nope, the Ravens will likely tag him for 2 years after his rookie deal. If they pay him a big deal, I'm happy about it, as my team plays in the AFC. I just don't see anybody giving any really big compensation, but hey, the Browns did, so who knows. I just pity the fans of a team that pays multiple quality picks for the guy and pay him a huge contract. Lamar just really isn't that good, in my opinion.

I get what you're saying and I'm not a huge Lamar fan myself. That said, if Baltimore let's him leave, they're starting over at QB, which is worst case scenario for any NFL team with a franchise-level guy.

I mean this in a complimentary sort of way Ninja, this is simple thinking, and imo the simplest thinking is typically the correct thinking. Lamar is going to get A LOT of money, idk if itll be Josh Allen or Mahomes type money but either the Ravens or some other team are going to pay him, just because he is a former MVP winner at the most important position in sports, and thats really all it comes down to.