Come on home LJ we got you 💰💰💰 https://t.co/lLVRxTOxjK
Buy Saints Tickets— Reggie Bush (@ReggieBush) February 24, 2023
It’s good to see Reggie Bush embraces the ABC philosophy — Always Be Cruitin’. The fan-favorite former New Orleans Saints running back asked the question that’s been on everyone’s mind: Lamar Jackson, why not sign with New Orleans?
Jackson, the 2019 league MVP, has been locked in negotiations with the Baltimore Ravens on a long-term extension centering on his contractual guarantees. He’s outperformed Deshaun Watson and Kirk Cousins, both of whom received fully-guaranteed contracts with the Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings, respectively, and he wants a fully-guaranteed deal of his own. While the Ravens have been willing to match his per-year salary demands, they haven’t shown an eagerness to max out the guarantees.
Could the Saints go the distance, if given the opportunity? Odds are strong that the Ravens will use the franchise tag to keep Jackson in Baltimore for the 2023 season, which will give them some additional means of holding onto him. The Ravens could either match a contract offer Jackson receives from New Orleans (or any other team) or receive a couple of first-round draft picks if he leaves.
Still, the Saints should at least make a run at him. Jackson is a more effective and better established passer than Watson was this time last year, when New Orleans made every effort to trade all of those draft picks and pay him a top-tier salary heavily laden with guarantees. Hypothetically, they could take the resources earmarked for Watson and put them towards a quarterback who’s worth the investment, and who doesn’t bring a cloud of dozens of accusations of sexual misconduct in his wake.
But Watson would probably be playing for the Saints if they had been willing to pay him a fully-guaranteed contract like Cleveland did. If they weren’t going to take that final big step then, we probably shouldn’t expect them to do so now.
