The Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Lamar Jackson on March 7, and both sides have yet to agree on a long-term contract. The standoff is expected to go on for some time, but that doesn’t mean the offseason just stops for Baltimore. The team still is looking to make moves in free agency, and it appears they have a message for potential players who are inquiring about the team’s quarterback situation.
During a Monday morning appearance on SportsCenter, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that the Ravens are “giving some indications to some free agents they’ve been meeting with that they would like to keep Lamar, they hope he’s there, but they’re not committing one way or the other.”
Meantime, Jackson appears to also be noncommittal about the situation. He has not signed the Ravens’ non-exclusive tender.
“People I’m talking to believe, or are getting the sense, that Lamar Jackson is at least open to a change of scenery at this point,” Fowler said.
Since the start of free agency, Jackson has had the right to negotiate with other teams because Baltimore didn’t place the exclusive franchise tag on him, but there has been no news of teams making him an offer. The Ravens have the right to match an offer sheet from another team.
It’s unlikely this gets resolved quickly with there being so much time left in the offseason, but Baltimore appears to be preparing for every eventuality.
