Lamar Jackson didn’t play in any of the Baltimore Ravens’ final six games, including Sunday night’s 24-17 Wild Card loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He is also a pending free agent, making it possible the last snap he ever played in black and purple was the one that resulted in a partial ligament tear and eventually sank the Ravens’ Super Bowl hopes.
Baltimore has officially entered its offseason. One priority stands alone above the rest; figuring out what to do its starting quarterback. The franchise balked at the idea of a fully guaranteed contract, but Kyler Murray’s 2022 extension and the $189.5 million in guarantees it included mean keeping the 2019 NFL MVP beyond the franchise tag will be a pricy proposition. After Jackson failed to make the trip to Cincinnati for Sunday’s loss, the chance of the former first round pick leaving Maryland is real, if not likely.
In advance of the next round of negotiations, Jackson took to his Instagram Reels to draft a post seemingly aimed at Baltimore’s higher-ups. Its message was simple: treat me right and I’ll treat you right.
When you have something good, you don’t play with it. You don’t take chances losing it. You don’t neglect it. When you have something good, you pour into it. You appreciate it. Because when you take care of something good, that good thing takes care of you too. [prayer hands emoji]
The timing here is significant. The Ravens season ended, in large part, thanks to a part of Tyler Huntley turnovers including a goal line fumble that resulted in a 98-yard Bengals touchdown and singlehandedly dropped Baltimore’s win probability by more than 50 points. It was the kind of mistake Jackson is unlikely to have made — and running back JK Dobbins recognized that after the game.
J.K. Dobbins said he’s tired of not getting the ball, tired of being held back. Said Huntley should have never been in that position on sneak. And then he added, “If we would’ve had Lamar, we would’ve won, too.”
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) January 16, 2023
The Ravens have a tough decision to make. On one hand, Jackson is a 26-year-old former MVP, but an expensive one who has missed five games each of the last two seasons. On the other, an undrafted free agent nearly toppled Cincinnati on the road in the playoffs thanks to a stout defense and offensive line, but his limitations ultimately ended the team’s season. How Baltimore views that game will ultimately inform what they do about Jackson.
It appears clear Jackson wants to remain a Raven, albeit with a massive pay raise attached. With a 45-16 regular season record as a starter, he’s got a solid argument on his side. And, also, some compelling Instagram relationship advice pulling for him.
