Ravens GM seeks long-term deal with Jackson

Lamar Jackson remains a crucial component for the Baltimore Ravens, and the franchise intends to keep him around long term.

Ravens general manager Eric Decosta said Monday that he plans to begin negotiations toward a long-term deal with Jackson “in the next 10 days.”

“I will be talking to Lamar, probably within the next 10 days or so. He’s down in Florida,” Decosta said. “He certainly deserves a contract. He has played phenomenal football over the last couple of years. Our intention and my intention is to keep him in Baltimore for many, many years.”

Decosta said credit for the Ravens’ philosophy of “signing up more players” to long-term deals goes to the front office.

“We have these players, we draft them, we like them, we know them, they really fit us,” Decosta said. “We want our fans to reap the enjoyment of these players.”

Decosta said the Ravens’ objectives include having the “best offensive line” in the NFL, including tight end Mark Andrews.

Decosta said talks with Andrews, who is entering the final year of his contract, will start soon.

Last season, Jackson was 38th among quarterbacks in total salary according to Overthecap.com, behind multiple backups.

Setting a price tag for Jackson, 24, could be intriguing. The 2019 league MVP might make an argument to be among the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL, but the Ravens’ playoff failures loom over discussions.

If the Ravens and Jackson can’t come to an agreement, he’s still under contract next season for a relatively paltry figure. In 2021, Jackson is scheduled to earn a base salary of US$1.77 million.