Lamar Jackson

[BoredMarine13]

Yeah Ravens probably see it in their interest to wait for other QBs to sign now. I remember everyone saying after Cousins deal that it was the start of fully guaranteed contracts, it never panned out that way. I get it was a shorter dea in that case but contracts largely went back to their normal structure. Lamar does carry a higher injury risk than other QBs so a fully guaranteed contract like Watson's is a huge gamble.

I’m sure the injury risk is part of their hesitation but I imagine one of the hold ups is also having $250 million in escrow. Definitely not good for business from an owners perspective

 

[drjohnnyfever]

I think they were thinking of themselves first and how it effected us was simply a positive consequence for them. Rather than something that factored into the decision making process. But obviously to each their own!

What you're saying here is likely so. But their desire to have him and their desire to cripple what other teams, especially in their own division can do NOW had to be in their minds. It was not a "throw money at it" problem, imo. They got into it knowing they could get a better QB than what they had, played the negotiations game, lost, and then nuked FA by guaranteeing a ridiculous short term contract. Plus all the draft capital they sent to Houston...

Almost every article outside the Land of Cleve has panned this deal. They had the money to do it, they have a competitive team that'll compete, and they could screw the division in the short term... Why not?! It's a short term win for them.

 

[allblackraven]

Hahahaha

 

[Ellicottraven]

...which is why the Browns did what they did with Watson. They had a ton of cap space and knew that going thru with that deal would make them better, if it works, and make it difficult for us - now - and the Bungles - later - to sign their franchise QB's. It was quite a stroke of gamesmanship, in reality. Both of their competition's QB's are going to come at a price they knew was going to be difficult to afford as it stood. They just made it more expensive.

As much as I love Lamar and would love to see him a Raven for life, I'd pass if it cripples the team. I loved Ed Reed. If a Safety had gotten some blockbuster deal that set the market arbitrarily high just before his big contract and it was him or 3 other players, I would have passed on him too. It hurts to say that, but that's truth. One player doesn't make a team.

Sorry to disappoint you. Without Lamar Jackson, this team is crippled till we get the next franchise QB. As Ravens fans, we know how much we struggled to find one and we see other teams get destroyed in the basement of the NFL for decades without a franchise QB. On top of that, this is no ordinary franchise QB. He is an exceptional one. So, I wouldn't mind crippling the team for a couple of years, because Lamar can singlehandedly carry this team as he has shown. If it were any other QB that depends on great weapons to succeed, you may have had a point, but not with Lamar. Lamar is too special to mess around with IMO. Pay him the market no matter what as long as we keep him.

 

[BoredMarine13]

Sorry to disappoint you. As Ravens fans, we know how much we struggled to find one and we see other teams get destroyed in the basement of the NFL for decades without a franchise QB.

Fairly confident a lot of posters in here have only been fans of the team for 5 ish years. Definitely only 2 or 3 that remember the Kyle Boller days. We’ve had pretty good QB played from 08 and on, so not sure a lot of these fans do know what it’s like to watch inept QB play in Baltimore.

So, I wouldn't mind crippling the team for a couple of years, because Lamar can singlehandedly carry this team as he has shown. If it were any other QB that depends on great weapons to succeed, you may have had a point, but

Lamar is great, but no he can’t. No QB in the NFL can without a decent Oline. Guys almost got him killed last year. Lamar also can’t generate sacks or play in the secondary . Pay the man fair money and give yourself a reasonable chance to build around him. The Ravens we’re here long before Lamar and they’ll be here long after, no one is worth crippling a franchise for.

 

[All_black_everything]

Fairly confident a lot of posters in here have only been fans of the team for 5 ish years. Definitely only 2 or 3 that remember the Kyle Boller days. We’ve had pretty good QB played from 08 and on, so not sure a lot of these fans do know what it’s like to watch inept QB play in Baltimore.

Lamar is great, but no he can’t. No QB in the NFL can without a decent Oline. Guys almost got him killed last year. Lamar also can’t generate sacks or play in the secondary . Pay the man fair money and give yourself a reasonable chance to build around him. The Ravens we’re here long before Lamar and they’ll be here long after, no one is worth crippling a franchise for.

I’d say there’s more than a few of us that remember the days of Chris Redman, Boller, Troy Smith etc. No way am I letting LJ walk

 

[allblackraven]

I wish all this stupid speculation and dumb ideas like not paying Lamar would end.

Who the fuck are we going to pay if not the MVP?

 

[drjohnnyfever]

Sorry to disappoint you. Without Lamar Jackson, this team is crippled till we get the next franchise QB. As Ravens fans, we know how much we struggled to find one and we see other teams get destroyed in the basement of the NFL for decades without a franchise QB. On top of that, this is no ordinary franchise QB. He is an exceptional one. So, I wouldn't mind crippling the team for a couple of years, because Lamar can singlehandedly carry this team as he has shown. If it were any other QB that depends on great weapons to succeed, you may have had a point, but not with Lamar. Lamar is too special to mess around with IMO. Pay him the market no matter what as long as we keep him.

...and yet we've won two Super Bowls with QB's who were not Lamar and by many accounts here, subpar. Yet each of them had only modest weapons in their OFF but were part of a whole team with a strong DEF and Special Teams. We CAN do without Lamar. The question is at what cost is keeping him so high as to make it hard or impossible to have a great O-line and weapons and a functional DEF and ST around him.

I'm just addressing the elephant in the room. Football is a team sport. Dare I even mention his Playoff record... but, of course, that wasn't anything to do with him. That was the O-line, WR's that couldn't get separation. He isn't perfect. He's ours for now, but at what cost? And what could we do with the capital of trading him if this whole contract thing is truly at loggerheads?

 

[Ellicottraven]

...and yet we've won two Super Bowls with QB's who were not Lamar and by many accounts here, subpar. Yet each of them had only modest weapons in their OFF but were part of a whole team with a strong DEF and Special Teams. We CAN do without Lamar. The question is at what cost is keeping him so high as to make it hard or impossible to have a great O-line and weapons and a functional DEF and ST around him.

I'm just addressing the elephant in the room. Football is a team sport. Dare I even mention his Playoff record... but, of course, that wasn't anything to do with him. That was the O-line, WR's that couldn't get separation. He isn't perfect. He's ours for now, but at what cost? And what could we do with the capital of trading him if this whole contract thing is truly at loggerheads?

Sorry. You seem to be listening to too much commentary from pundits and other fans. While on the one hand, you talk of football being a team sport you are adroit and quick to cast a discerning eye on Lamar and his 'playoff' record?

 

[RavensMania]

I wish all this stupid speculation and dumb ideas like not paying Lamar would end.

Who the fuck are we going to pay if not the MVP?

I totally agree with this statement.

 

[rmcjacket23]

I wish all this stupid speculation and dumb ideas like not paying Lamar would end.

Who the fuck are we going to pay if not the MVP?

I don't think its a question of "paying".
The question is... do you give him 4-5 years, fully guaranteed?
5 years, $230M, fully guaranteed.
That's the Watson deal.
If fans think that's the open volley for discussions with Lamar, then I think both fans and Lamar are going to be disappointed, because I don't think any of the 32 NFL teams are going to give him that deal, including the Ravens.
The AAV isn't the problem. The length isn't the problem. The problem is how much guaranteed money do you want to give him.

In order for me to see that the Watson deal is the "new norm", I'll need to see another QB get that. Mahomes didn't get that. Allen didn't get that. Rodgers didn't get that.
QBs more accomplished than Lamar, including some with MVP awards, SB trophies, etc., didn't get that.

 

[rmcjacket23]

Jackson owns nearly all the leverage and can do as he pleases. There is also no reason for Lamar to settle for anything less than Watson, so no real reason for him to make a public statement. We know what the price is now, then Ravens have two years together figure out if he is worth all those guarantees. Spoiler alert he is not , no one is

Settle for less than Watson in terms of what? If it's guaranteed money, my prediction, is Lamar ends up disappointed, because he won't get it. Not from the Ravens or any other team.
And he's not going to get any sympathy from fans or the media for taking that stance either. Nobody really thinks the Ravens or any team should go for like $240M guaranteed for Lamar.

 

[drjohnnyfever]

Sorry. You seem to be listening to too much commentary from pundits and other fans. While on the one hand, you talk of football being a team sport you are adroit and quick to cast a discerning eye on Lamar and his 'playoff' record?

I mentioned it because that has been a knock against him, just as other criticisms were levelled against Dilfer and Flacco. Yet as mediocre as they were, they still managed to guide the OFF well enough to be successful in the Playoffs and Super Bowls. Those guys didn't do it single-handedly just as Lamar didn't lose those games single-handedly, but they were loses and he is hailed as great, as compared to two guys who according to many on this forum could hardly get out of their own way. It illustrates that even his purported greatness isn't without holes, perhaps. Would other "great" QB's have done so poorly? Who knows?

By the way, you make a good point. Any criticism of Lamar is so often met with a deflection. I think they lost as a team. Lamar was ineffective, the WR's were ineffective, but greats find a way to adjust.

 

[ravenslord]

I totally agree with this statement.

If you give Lamar a good offensive line ,he will be an MVP candidate again this year guaranteed. . I think we have done that, assuming Ronnie is back to most of his self.

 

[UPennChem]

You know in Lamar's head he's probably just saying to himself, I'm way better than Watson. I bet its honestly that simple. Lamar isn't a super deep guy. He is a warrior and he's got a lot of confidence and plays with a chip on his shoulder. He's betting on himself and I hope that works for him.

 

[Deebo813]

You know in Lamar's head he's probably just saying to himself, I'm way better than Watson. I bet its honestly that simple. Lamar isn't a super deep guy. He is a warrior and he's got a lot of confidence and plays with a chip on his shoulder. He's betting on himself and I hope that works for him.

Its honestly this simple!!!!

 

[rmcjacket23]

You know in Lamar's head he's probably just saying to himself, I'm way better than Watson. I bet its honestly that simple. Lamar isn't a super deep guy. He is a warrior and he's got a lot of confidence and plays with a chip on his shoulder. He's betting on himself and I hope that works for him.

I mean maybe. He also could have just as easily signed prior to the Watson trade. Didn't have to wait on it.

 

[Deebo813]

I mean maybe. He also could have just as easily signed prior to the Watson trade. Didn't have to wait on it.

I think he just believes he is worth more than whatever it is they offered… thats really all to it… people trying to get too deep into this thing like you all mentioned before

 

[JAAM]

Florio is such a clown

 

[BoredMarine13]

You know in Lamar's head he's probably just saying to himself, I'm way better than Watson. I bet its honestly that simple. Lamar isn't a super deep guy. He is a warrior and he's got a lot of confidence and plays with a chip on his shoulder. He's betting on himself and I hope that works for him.

Yea I think your right, but man idk if Lamar and Deshaun are really that far apart when it comes to on field performance. Honestly feel like their interchangeable as successful QBs for any franchise. Lamar is a much better runner, but I think Watson has the edge as a passer. Also think Watson had better weapons. I'm sure someone more in the weeds can find a metric to compare them more accurately than the eye test, but yea I think your right. He has to be looking at Watson and think he can absolutely get that or better.