Jackson wants out of Baltimore, requests trade
Harbaugh still expecting to have QB back on team
PHOENIX — After the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson spent the last two years trying to come to an agreement on a long-term deal, the quarterback has issued a definitive response. Following months of silence from Jackson, he revealed on Monday that he has demanded to be traded.
“As of March 2nd I requested a trade from the Ravens organization for which the Ravens has not been interested in meeting my value, any and everyone that’s has met me or been around me know I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team,” Jackson tweeted Monday morning. “I had to make a business decision that was best for my family and I.”
It was a stunning development with the tweet coming one minute before Ravens coach John Harbaugh met with the media at the NFL’S annual meeting.
Harbaugh said he was unaware of the tweet but that he expects Jackson to be his quarterback this season.
“It’s an ongoing process,” Harbaugh said. “I’m following it very closely and looking forward to a resolution.”
Asked if he was aware of the request, Harbaugh said, “I’m not getting into that. That’s private,” but added, “I’m getting ready for Lamar … We love him.”
He also conceded that it has been “a while” since he last spoke to Jackson but didn’t view that as out of the ordinary. However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport also reported on Monday that sources told him that Jackson was actively negotiating with the Ravens as recently as last week.
And while it’s not clear when Jackson began to think the Ravens weren’t valuing him properly, Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen, who was drafted the same year as Jackson, signed a six-year, $258 million extension with the Bills in August 2021.
“You’ve got two sides that appreciate each other; Lamar believes in us and we believe in Lamar,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a monetary thing that can be figured out, that can be worked out. That’s just a matter of negotiating.
“It’s a unique situation, it’s different than most years. This is a contract situation. … I’m looking forward to getting back to the normal ways of doing things.”
As for the timing of Jackson’s tweet and whether it was intentional, Harbaugh said he didn’t know if that was the case.
“I don’t think Lamar kept too much track when the [NFL] meeting’s happening,” Harbaugh said.
The team placed the nonexclusive tag on Jackson, the 2019 unanimous NFL Most Valuable Player, on March 7 — five days after Jackson said he requested the organization trade him.
The nonexclusive tag was viewed at the time by many as shrewd because it would allow the market to essentially set Jackson’s value. It also gives the Ravens the option to match any offer sheet Jackson signs
— if they let him walk they would get two first-round picks in return. The $32.4 million nonexclusive tag was additionally about $13 million cheaper than the exclusive tag, which notably would not have allowed Jackson to negotiate with other teams.