2023 NFL offseason thread

The Ravens probably learned quite a bit from the ridiculous contract they gave Flacco. And yeah, the smart teams are the ones that don't make the same mistakes twice.

 

Would it be more surprising if a team breaks ranks and give Lamar Watson Deal 2.0 or if the Ravens opt not to match an offer and let him walk?

 

The non-exclusive tag means the Ravens aren't really expecting any team to bid. It's a poison pill offer, because after you pay the two firsts, then you have to pay Jackson. They're just buying time. In the event somebody is willing, the Ravens are perfectly prepared to be happily surprised. I don't think anyone is, though. It'd be paying a high price to get your hands on a contract problem one of the smarter NFL franchises has been unable to solve.

 

The non-exclusive tag on Lamar is very surprising, almost mind-boggling. I'm not a huge fan of paying him $45-50 mil because of his health/style of play, and this move clearly says neither are the Ravens.
I can't see him playing for them at all this year, unless this was just a buy-time-to-sign-him move. He was going to be disgruntled with the exclusive tag. Now? Why would he risk his healthy by playing for that figure?

 

Without his recent injury history, Jackson already would have been paid. But the Ravens' calculus changed when he couldn't finish out this season (and was hurt last season, too), so they're not about to give him a contract like he wants. This ends badly, probably for all involved.

 

There really is some "value" for lack of a better word for committing to a qb - even if he is flawed - just so you know what you have and aren't spending a season wondering if he's "the guy" and instead are trying to make the best use of him. I still can't figure out what the Falcons have been up to since they let Ryan go.

 

Exactly, he's sitting out if its $32.5M. Geno Smith has already proven that you can sit for oh 4 yrs and still get paid.

I dislike that the goal posts move. Murray got his contract and he had a prior injury and movement is key to his effectiveness. Would you rather have 12 games of LJ or 17 of Carr? The potential of another MVP season or more 4th alternate Pro-Bowler? Or a Jones who's never even made a Pro Bowl but appears healthy?

Giving 2 1sts and paying LJ is more of a gamble than paying the trade value for Wilson AND paying him?

 

It was the most sensible move possible. They are dealing with someone who has his mother for an agent.

 

For his sake, I just hope he gets a better deal than Kaepernick (talk about bad advice.) Look I'm not a huge LJ fan or even a Ravens fan, I just heard that he's a great teammate, not a "look at me" guy and want him to get what he should get. A $32M tag is not that, its a byproduct of the CBA which screws him. But he's got some leverage, he can say "good luck with Hundley" next year and keep your $32M. Unfortunately, that then rolls into the next year for him and it's down to who blinks first.

 

He doesn't deserve what Watson got. Neither did Watson. Murray didn't get $250 million guaranteed. Also, that contract didn't exactly work out for the Cardinals this past season.

You brought up basic economics before. Players are worth what they can get. Right now, Jackson can't get that contract. If the Ravens were going to give it to him, wouldn't he have it already?

 

Nothing ends a player's prime in the NFL faster than sitting out for an extended period of time.

 

He’s taken a LOT of big hits the past couple of years.