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Is Lamar Jackson’s NFL career over? He is one of the most dynamic and exciting quarterbacks in the NFL. He won the MVP award in 2019 after leading the league in passing touchdowns and rushing yards. He has also led the Baltimore Ravens to three consecutive playoff appearances, including a divisional round win over the Tennessee Titans last season.
Why an NFL Reporter Believes Lamar Jackson Might Not Ever Play NFL Football Again
However, Jackson’s future in the NFL is uncertain. He is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and he has not been able to reach a long-term extension with the Ravens. According to a Thursday column by Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk, Jackson’s NFL career could be over due to his stubbornness, and the fact that NFL owners seem to have dug their heels in about not shelling out that kind of guaranteed money.
Florio argues that Jackson is taking a huge risk by representing himself in contract negotiations, without the help of an agent. He says that Jackson is asking for too much money and too much control over his contract, which could scare away potential suitors. He also says that Jackson is betting on himself to have another MVP-caliber season in 2022, which is not guaranteed given his injury history and the volatility of his style of play.
If no other team negotiates a contract with Jackson or trades for him, which looks like it will be the case, his only option to play in 2023 will be with the Ravens. The two sides could still agree to a multi-year contract prior to July 17, but given that they have had more than a year to negotiate and haven’t gotten very far, that doesn’t seem particularly likely. Jackson would have to agree to play on the franchise tag, which will pay him $32.4 million — less than the likes of Daniel Jones, Kirk Cousins, Derek Carr and Jared Goff. Jackson signing that tender seems like a long shot.
So what will happen to Lamar Jackson? Will he end up sitting out the 2023 season, like Le’Veon Bell did in 2018? Will he accept the franchise tag and hope for a better deal in 2024? Will he find a new team that will pay him what he deserves? Or will he retire from the NFL and pursue other interests? The answer is unclear at this point, but one thing is certain: Lamar Jackson’s future in the NFL is uncertain.
However, it’s tough to believe that no team in the NFL will eventually shell out the money he’s asking for considering the impact he makes on the field. At the end of the day you can’t blame Jackson for betting on himself.
