Podcast: The curious case of Lamar Jackson
He's free to negotiate with other teams. So, why did team by team publicly declare that they're not interested? Guaranteed money is a touchy subject in the NFL.
A conversation wouldn’t hurt, right?
Perhaps a day trip to South Florida. Heck, 20 minutes on the phone.
It’s one thing for team… to team… to team to scream from the mountaintop that they’re not interested in Lamar Jackson. It’s another when those teams are currently quarterbacked by Desmond Ridder and Sam Howell. There’s no harm in at least chatting with the former unanimous league MVP.
This all reeks of collusion. Even J.J. Watt is suspicious. The NFL does not want organizations following the lead of one, Jimmy Haslam, who gave Deshaun Watson $230 million fully guaranteed because guaranteed contracts are bad, bad business for the league. Owners want the flexibility to tear contracts up and certainly fear an NFL Sunday occupied by third-stringers because star players are nursing injuries. Never mind the fact that this is the most violent team sport in the world and players deserve the security afforded other pro athletes.
There are so many angles to the specific case of Jackson.
Live from Fattey Beer Company in Orchard Park, NY, I’m joined by co-host Jim Monos to break this all down. While the Ravens are obviously scared to give a fifth of their salary cap to a player who hasn’t finished the last two seasons, we both think they’re overthinking this one. Jackson is rare. Jackson is in his prime. The greater risk is voluntarily hitting reset. This whole situation is fascinating. (Let us know what you think in the comments.)
Also, the New York Giants found a way to get a four-year deal done with Daniel Jones. Well done, Mr. Dimes. No player in the league made more money for himself last season. After the Giants declined to pick up his fifth-year option — worth $22.384 million — Jones inked a deal with a maximum value of $195 million.
That’s what swapping Joe Judge for Brian Daboll can do for a quarterback.
And, of course, we discuss Aaron Rodgers. He’s meeting with the New York Jets in California. The Green Bay Packers are moving on to Jordan Love — a smart decision on all fronts — but it looks like they’d really like Rodgers to believe leaving is his decision. The game of semantics is on.
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Dave
I would not want Lamar Jackson either. He may be a “rare” talent, but, he is still a RB who can throw the ball, not a QB who can run the ball.
Take away his running game and he’s pretty average, maybe slightly above average.
But, the biggest reason that he does not have a contract with Baltimore is that he is foolishly acting as his own agent.
Just like a doctor who should not treat themselves, and especially like the old saying: “A lawyer who represents himself in court has a fool for a client”
A NFL football QB star who represents himself in contract negotiations has a fool for a client.
I suspect that NFL teams are avoiding him, not because of “collusion”....it's more likely they don’t want a fool at QB, literally the most critical position on any team.
One would think there is some way to insure the Ravens from loss of services if there was a guaranteed contract and Lamar suffered significant injury that kept him from playing. Lioyd's of London perhaps?