NFL Wild Card Weekend -- With an elegant Jag on

He’s coming off consecutive season-ending injuries. I think he’s already on a similar trajectory. Certainly not the trajectory that a well-run franchise would take a chance on with $250 million (or more) guaranteed.

 

I can't believe America's happiness for next weekend is in the hands of Dak Prescott and Mi in e McCarthy

 

I respect the Ravens greatly, they won a SB and have always played hard, especially on D. However, at some point the players are going to start to look around (I think) and think "who are they paying top market for here?" Well if they're not going to pay Jackson, there's no other marquee players on the roster. Hollywood Brown came up for a 2nd contract and they shipped him out (to AZ). They paid Flacco but that's it. Correction, they paid Roquan Smith recently. It looks like the franchise is going to grind Jackson and there's going to be fallout IMHO. Sure they can praise Huntley for playing hurt, well duh he's on a rookie contract with no leverage. They better tread lightly.

 

Montana had back surgery and came back (for a while). McCaffery just came back after some injury-plagued years. I've got to believe Jackson isn't done, certainly not like RG3.

 

Brown asked to be traded. He said it was because he didn't like the system, which makes sense because it puts such a low priority on production from the wide receivers. It doesn't make sense to claim that the Ravens did it so they could avoid paying anybody if the player asked for a trade.

They also just made Roquan Smith the highest-paid inside linebacker ever.

There are very good reasons not to give a big contract to Lamar Jackson. He has missed significant time in each of the last two seasons. Given the style he plays, it is tough to count on him staying healthy. They may end up having to give him a big contract because they have tied so much of what they do to him, but I'm not sure it would be a good idea.

 

I think the Ravens can make a compelling argument why it makes no sense to give Jackson a completely guaranteed contract> Jackson is effective in large part because of his amazing running ability, which exposes him to injury. Even if stays healthy will he lose some athleticism and become a less effective quarterback?

I also think that if the Ravens do not give Lamar the money someone will. I point to Watson as my example. The Ravens have made the playoffs every year Jackson has been the quarterback. I don't think that would have happened with someone of talents similar to Hundley. Once a team is in quarterback purgatory it can take a long, long time to reemerge. I cite the Jets as a team that has been in said purgatory for 50 years.

If I was the Ravens organization I would sign Jackson and pray.

 

Hubbard's fumble return for the Bengals broke the record for the longest fumble return for a touchdown in NFL playoff history. The old mark was 93 yards by Andy Russell of the Steelers in 1975.

 

Cam Newton was last a starter in his age-29 season. Jackson is 26 and of much lighter build than Newton.

12 1/2 games, which is what Peter King says he's been out for in total, is a lot of missed football.

 

Newton was a shell of his former self at the end
If the Bears don’t get some help for Justin Fields the same thing’s gonna happen to him

 

Watson is the extreme outlier. No one is going to do that.

Here are all the big contracts signed recently:

Deshaun Watson 5 years, $230M, $230M fully guaranteed
Russell Wilson 5 years, $245M, $124M fully guaranteed
Kyler Murray 5 years, $230.5M, $103.3M fully guaranteed
Aaron Rodgers 3 years, $150M, $101.4M fully guaranteed
Josh Allen 6 years, $258M, $100M fully guaranteed
Dak Prescott 4 years, $160M, $95M fully guaranteed

Watson got 100 million more guaranteed than the next-highest QB in the league.