At his first information convention in over 5 months, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson spoke for about 10 minutes. He took practically 40 questions from reporters Thursday as a handful of Ravens officers, together with staff president Sashi Brown, appeared on. He joked about his new restaurant’s identify. He marveled at rookie heart Tyler Linderbaum’s velocity.
And he was requested, again and again, about his future in Baltimore.
“It’s a conversation,” Jackson mentioned of his contract negotiations with staff officers, together with normal supervisor Eric DeCosta. “That’s all. We’re just keeping it private.”
As the Ravens wrapped up their three-day obligatory minicamp and headed into the offseason, their most essential participant walked away from a crowded podium in Owings Mills having answered some questions, danced round others and raised new ones.
Jackson, who’s getting into the ultimate yr of his rookie contract, reiterated early in his first question-and-answer session since Jan. 10 that he expects to play in Baltimore for the remainder of his profession. “Yes,” he mentioned, “I do.” Asked shortly thereafter whether or not contract discussions, which restarted this week, might proceed into the common season, Jackson mentioned, “We’re having conversations.”
He used a variation of that line eight occasions when probed concerning the specifics of his negotiations, even when it appeared to contradict different statements he made Thursday. At one level, Jackson mentioned he didn’t “buy into” the notion that, along with his dual-threat model of play within the Ravens’ run-heavy offense, he shouldn’t play with out having his monetary future secured. “I play football,” the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player mentioned. “That’s what I’m here for.”
At one other level, Jackson mentioned he plans to satisfy along with his receivers earlier than coaching camp at Florida Atlantic University, persevering with the offseason exercises he began with wideouts Rashod Bateman and James Proche II in February. “We’re going to work, watch some film and just build our chemistry some more,” he mentioned.
But requested whether or not he’d nonetheless play within the Ravens’ season opener with out an extension, Jackson mentioned, “We’re in conversation right now,” and chuckled. Not lengthy after, requested once more whether or not he’d take part within the staff’s coaching camp, which begins in late July, or play in Week 1 with out a new deal, he declined to commit. “We’re having a conversation about it,” he mentioned. “I don’t know.”
Under the league’s collective bargaining settlement, gamers face stiff penalties for skipping coaching camp practices. Teams are required to high-quality gamers who aren’t on rookie contracts — which incorporates Jackson, who’s on his fifth-year choice — $50,000 per day for absences. DeCosta mentioned in March that he didn’t count on Jackson to carry out.
Jackson is about to make $23 million this season, a major elevate from his first 4 years in Baltimore. A contract extension would doubtless be value over $40 million yearly, simply the richest deal in franchise historical past and among the many largest within the NFL.
In answering questions on his readiness for a deal and the scope of a potential framework, Jackson appeared to push again on a few of proprietor Steve Bisciotti’s feedback from March. At the NFL homeowners conferences, Bisciotti had instructed reporters that Jackson is “so obsessed with winning a Super Bowl that I think, deep down, he doesn’t think he’s worthy. 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.”
On Thursday, Jackson mentioned he feels worthy of a brand new deal, however added: “I still want my Super Bowl, though.”
Bisciotti additionally had known as Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson’s absolutely assured five-year, $230 million deal “groundbreaking,” and acknowledged that it will make some negotiations more durable. “I don’t know that he should’ve been the first guy to get a fully guaranteed contract,” Bisciotti mentioned.
Jackson, one of many few NFL gamers to characterize himself in contract negotiations, mentioned Thursday that Watson’s deal hadn’t modified his pondering on easy methods to proceed. “I’m a man of my own,” he mentioned. “I don’t worry about what those guys get.”
In February, DeCosta mentioned the staff was shifting at “Lamar’s pace” in contract negotiations. Over the previous yr, Ravens officers have mentioned they continue to be dedicated to signing Jackson to a long-term extension. If a deal can’t be reached, the staff is anticipated to put the franchise tag on him subsequent yr.
With Jackson absent from the staff’s voluntary practices in organized staff actions, nevertheless, the state of the Ravens’ contract talks was once more scrutinized. Jackson mentioned Thursday that his determination to skip OTAs for the primary time in his profession was not contract-related.
“I just wanted to stay away and just grind,” he mentioned. “I just wanted to come back and just see how it felt. I feel good. I asked my guys how they’d feel if I stayed home. They were like, ‘You know, it’s cool.’ You know, I want to get some chemistry. They tell me, ‘I want to get some chemistry.’ I’m like, ‘Man, we’re going to get that regardless when we get back.’”
Jackson reported to minicamp Monday at a bulked-up 220 kilos, and he impressed in his first three practices because the commerce of huge receiver and shut buddy Marquise “Hollywood” Brown. Quarterbacks coach James Urban mentioned it was clear that Jackson had “handled his business when he was away from us.”
Despite throwing three interceptions over the three days, Jackson impressed along with his accuracy and his rhythm in coordinator Greg Roman’s barely revamped offense. His deep balls not often fluttered, and he wanted little time to reconnect with prime targets like tight finish Mark Andrews and Bateman.
“As far as the throwing and the catching and the targeting and all that, and what you’re saying — the playmaking stuff — I was happy to see that,” coach John Harbaugh mentioned. “And I was wondering about it — how’s he going to look? To see it look that good, to see the shape he was in, how well he threw the ball, that was all … for a coach, that’s exciting.”
“There’s only been one Lamar Jackson ever in this league,” Proche mentioned. “And the fact that the media disrespects him the way that they do is, what I said earlier, barbaric.”
Urban known as Jackson a “master” at ignoring “outside distractions.” With five-plus weeks to arrange for coaching camp, it’s unclear how contract negotiations will match into his offseason plans. On Thursday, Jackson mentioned rather a lot, but in addition not a lot.
“Football season’s here,” he mentioned on the finish of his session. “So we’re going to grind right now.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com