Baltimore Ravens placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on star quarterback Lamar Jackson
The GIST: The drawn out “will they or won’t they” saga between the Baltimore Ravens and star quarterback (QB) Lamar Jackson continued when the team placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson yesterday. But the move doesn’t mean the drama ends there…
The context: Every NFL team can issue one “franchise tag” per season to a player about to enter unrestricted free agency. There are two types of tags: exclusive and the less expensive non-exclusive. Both commit the player to a one-year contract with the team, but if the tag is non-exclusive like Jackson’s, the player can still negotiate with other squads.
- If another team offers a longer, better-paying contract (which is reportedly what Jackson’s after), the team that applied the franchise tag can match it or let the player walk in exchange for two first-round draft picks.
What’s next: The Ravens said Jackson “will be our QB” during the offseason, but the two parties have failed to come to an agreement over a long-term contract for the second straight year. The Ravens notably could have locked Jackson in with an exclusive tag, but that would’ve cost them an additional $13M. Chump change, TBH.
- So, Jackson’s with Baltimore for now, but we’re a long way away from knowing who he’ll actually suit up for (and how much he’ll get to do so) this fall. Stay tuned.
