This writer thinks Lamar is toast to return a Raven........

[madinsomniac]

I don’t want to give the Rats ideas, but if I was them, id non exclusive franchise tag him and take the two firsts when he signs elsewhere

Or exclusive tag him and try to deal him with their first to Chicago for Fields and the top overall pick… chicago might be dumb enough to do that and they have cap space for days

 

[SteelerSask2]

He is playing on his 5th year option and can tag him for 2023. Probably 45+ million to tag him. They are roughly 40 million under the cap (not sure how) so they can easily fit him under the cap. I just feel they won't be too happy about him sitting after offering that deal. He chose not to sign and is still making 23 million this year. After knowing what I know now after Bell I would trade him and move on. Don't let one player hold your team hostage.

Can they Franchise and trade him. Don't think so based on Bell fiasco.

 

[FordFairLane]

Can they Franchise and trade him. Don't think so based on Bell fiasco.

Yes, the Steelers could have but I want to say Bell waited until the deadline was almost done and then walked away. Like the Steelers went into July thinking they would work something out and even had it all agreed on but last second and even to his agents surprise Bell walked from the deal. That left no time to trade him. Lamar could sit but I think if the Ravens just go into this with the mindset of trading him and letting him determine his own worth they then could work out a trade deal after the contract had been figured out. Depending on how much would probably determine what they get. I feel they don't get Russell Wilson type deal after that backfired but a first and a 2nd would be easy enough.

 

[Stryker]

To tag and trade, the player must sign the tag tender. If not, not trade. See Bell...

 

[slashsteel]

Here is the real question, what nfl team would take him and pay him that money? Clearly he needs a specialized offense to run.

Tennessee?

 

[Ron Burgundy]

He is playing on his 5th year option and can tag him for 2023. Probably 45+ million to tag him. They are roughly 40 million under the cap (not sure how) so they can easily fit him under the cap. I just feel they won't be too happy about him sitting after offering that deal. He chose not to sign and is still making 23 million this year. After knowing what I know now after Bell I would trade him and move on. Don't let one player hold your team hostage.

Wondering if the Ratbirds remember that Flacco’s contract hamstrung them for a number of years.

 

[jitter77]

I understand jackson not playing because he is hurt, but not at least being on the sideline was a bad move. Can't imagine that sitting too well with some guys. I think the Ravens offered him a good deal. I think he maybe disappointed in what other offers are out there

 

[TDX27]

He definitely should have been on the sideline. He also hasn't even practiced. He had a bone bruise last year and now the PCL that should have healed by now. I just can't see anyone paying him even as much as the Rats previously offered him. I know I wouldn't. I don't see his "injury bugs" getting any better moving forward.

 

[SteelerSask2]

I understand jackson not playing because he is hurt, but not at least being on the sideline was a bad move. Can't imagine that sitting too well with some guys. I think the Ravens offered him a good deal. I think he maybe disappointed in what other offers are out there

Unless there was a legit reason ie. he was told to stay home and rehab instead of traveling he has played last game as a Ratbird. Which I cannot figure if I'm happy or sad about.

 

[thesteelcity]

I can't say that I'm too sad of the state of affairs the Rats are in with Jackson. Injury or not, he's the leader of the team, he should have been on the sidelines yesterday. There's gonna be a lot of fans that want him paid and to stay and the others may be done with him. It's gonna be interesting in Crab Land. I hope they F it up whatever way it goes.

 

[SteelerSask2]

I can't say that I'm too sad of the state of affairs the Rats are in with Jackson. Injury or not, he's the leader of the team, he should have been on the sidelines yesterday. There's gonna be a lot of fans that want him paid and to stay and the others may be done with him. It's gonna be interesting in Crab Land. I hope they F it up whatever way it goes.

Yeah that is gonna be a dead split. He is a polarizing player. When they made him MVP in his Second year I kinda had a feeling they might have a problem on their hands. Guy who doesn't play the high low drop back read game as MVP. you are going to really have to pay him and if you are as old as me, you have seen this movie before.

 

[Steeler Pride]

I always thought he was fairly easy to defend. If you minimize his running, his passing game goes to **** in a hurry. His running game is what opens up the big holes he has to throw into...without those, he is not that accurate and forces throws. Depending on who they replace him with, we might regret not having him with the Ravens.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Yes, the Steelers could have but I want to say Bell waited until the deadline was almost done and then walked away. Like the Steelers went into July thinking they would work something out and even had it all agreed on but last second and even to his agents surprise Bell walked from the deal. That left no time to trade him. Lamar could sit but I think if the Ravens just go into this with the mindset of trading him and letting him determine his own worth they then could work out a trade deal after the contract had been figured out. Depending on how much would probably determine what they get. I feel they don't get Russell Wilson type deal after that backfired but a first and a 2nd would be easy enough.

Can they Franchise and trade him. Don't think so based on Bell fiasco.

BELL never signed the tag designation, so the STEELERS had NO rights to him. He didn't walk away from any contract as he hadn't signed anything. The ONLY thing the STEELERS had was that he was still their contractual right due to the tag (sign the tag or hold out but still have tag obligation if to play in the nfl) but he couldn't sign anywhere else.


Salute the nation

 

[Drink IRON City]

Unless there was a legit reason ie. he was told to stay home and rehab instead of traveling he has played last game as a Ratbird. Which I cannot figure if I'm happy or sad about.

I wanted a 6 year deal worth $500 mil / 340 guaranteed.


Salute the nation

 

[madinsomniac]

To tag and trade, the player must sign the tag tender. If not, not trade. See Bell...

True but two things are true… you can let players or their agents(if they have an agent) shop themselves around and if you give em the lower franchise tag, any team can sign them with compensation of two firsts…

 

[Steelmann]

I always thought he was fairly easy to defend. If you minimize his running, his passing game goes to **** in a hurry. His running game is what opens up the big holes he has to throw into...without those, he is not that accurate and forces throws. Depending on who they replace him with, we might regret not having him with the Ravens.

While I get what you’re saying......as Stryker said......he is 45-16 as a starter. Not sure about easy to defend.

For me if you’re a prolific player wanting that type of coin it’s what have you done in the postseason
For Lamar it’s 1-3 with a grand total of 3 tds 5 ints. Yes as usual he has a **** ton of yards rushing which you cannot discount. And of course it’s not all on Lamar. But hey....when you are QB in a playoff game.....all eyes are on you.
54 , 143 , 136, and 34 yards rushing games.

Are these type of numbers deserving of a 200 million contract,with the injury history of late?
These questions are what will make or break any Front Office. Shall be interesting times ahead for the Ravens.

 

[FordFairLane]

BELL never signed the tag designation, so the STEELERS had NO rights to him. He didn't walk away from any contract as he hadn't signed anything. The ONLY thing the STEELERS had was that he was still their contractual right due to the tag (sign the tag or hold out but still have tag obligation if to play in the nfl) but he couldn't sign anywhere else.


Salute the nation

Well, they had his rights for the 2018 season. And yes, he did walk away from the contract his agent had worked out with the Steelers. If I remember correctly it was worth something like 70 million but he choose to walk away from it.

 

[FordFairLane]

True but two things are true… you can let players or their agents(if they have an agent) shop themselves around and if you give em the lower franchise tag, any team can sign them with compensation of two firsts…

Yep. That is where the Steelers gave Bell enough rope to hang himself with. They worked under the assumption Bell would sign if they worked out a deal with his agent. It came down to the wire but from all reports was heading in the right direction. They agreed to the deal and Bell never showed up to sign. There was no time to let his agent try to get a better deal worked out, which obviously wouldn't have happened anyway, and both sides came to an impasse. I would hope that teams would have learned from that and would just let the player go find their deal elsewhere rather than try to handcuff them to your team. He might find a little better deal considering he played under his 5th year options for about 25 million less than he would have been paid if he would have just signed with Baltimore but it isn't going to be a crazy amount more. And he won't get more guaranteed money than he was really offered. imo. No one is going to give up the Watson, Murray, Rodgers, or Wilson deal after all their teams failed to do crap this year.

 

[steelcan58]

LJ is many things, but he's far from selfish.

Kid represents himself and chose to play on his 5th year option to help his team sign big FAs and make big trades like Roquan. Problem is, the Ravens are now a team that gives Team MVPs and the biggest contracts to players they didn't develop. This is what Washington does, and it doesn't sit well for players in the locker room.

Now LJ wants to be paid, and he should be. He's a former league MVP, so it's unheard of that he didn't get his contract last year, but again, he decided to play for the 5th instead of holding in during TC to get a multiyear contract.

Say what we want about him being a RB at QB, the kid is a winner. 45-16 as a starter (8-5 this year).
The Ravens record without Lamar: 8-14 (2-3 including playoffs this year) Flacco had half of those wins LJ's rookie season before he was the starter.

Ravens are a sub 500 team without Lamar, and they're playing a dangerous game of chicken with his contract, acting like it's too much, or they don't need him. The fact is, they do, and the offense was built for him. There is no plug and play here, they are dropping in our division if they don't re-sign him. Then poof, their QB situation goes from having a League MVP to a big fat question mark for the next couple years.

Lamar was an MVP when his style was fairly unique to the league. Now that he's been in the league for a while and there are several other QBs with a similar style, teams have learned how to game plan for him. Add to that injuries and physical skills that will be diminishing, he's a disaster waiting to happen for any team that signs him to a long term contract with guaranteed money. Please let it be the Ratbirds.

 

[Stainless]

I read something today where the players knew Lamar was hurt and wouldn’t be player. It may have been something Dobbins said.

 

[madinsomniac]

Well, they had his rights for the 2018 season. And yes, he did walk away from the contract his agent had worked out with the Steelers. If I remember correctly it was worth something like 70 million but he choose to walk away from it.

The problem is that some of these guys are too caught up in the prestige of setting a new bar and redefining the market and many just don’t understand long term money… Bells agent Adisa Bakari was definitely giving him bad advice trying to show he could reset the market… Bell was his dumbass Pawn… when Gurley signed that very stupid contract, it threw a monkey wrench in everything… bell lost MILLIONS upon MILLIONS in lifetime earnings and really his career with that move…
Tge same deal is happening with LJ… Watson’s contract and tge aftermath contracts caused him to move his asking price to unreasonable levels…

The best option they have is almost certainly the non exclusive tag… they can still match it if it is reasonable, and LJ will see what other teams are really open to spending on him

 

[FordFairLane]

The problem is that some of these guys are too caught up in the prestige of setting a new bar and redefining the market and many just don’t understand long term money… Bells agent Adisa Bakari was definitely giving him bad advice trying to show he could reset the market… Bell was his dumbass Pawn… when Gurley signed that very stupid contract, it threw a monkey wrench in everything… bell lost MILLIONS upon MILLIONS in lifetime earnings and really his career with that move…
Tge same deal is happening with LJ… Watson’s contract and tge aftermath contracts caused him to move his asking price to unreasonable levels…

The best option they have is almost certainly the non exclusive tag… they can still match it if it is reasonable, and LJ will see what other teams are really open to spending on him

I 100% agree. The non-exclusive franchise tag is an awesome tool for the teams. Let them go negotiate the contract with someone else and if you don't want to match you still get a lot of compensation back. If I was the Ravens GM I would just say you have our best and final offer now please go try to find something better and move on with the offseason.
But to be honest I hope Lamar is back with the Ravens. He probably has 3-4 years left with this style of play and he is trending down every single year.

 

[Shane Falco]

I don’t think he wants to be back with Harbaugh/Baltimore. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him traded else where. Jets? Commanders? Texans? Anyone else with trade capital and cap space will jump on him.

 

[Drink IRON City]

I don’t think he wants to be back with Harbaugh/Baltimore. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him traded else where. Jets? Commanders? Texans? Anyone else with trade capital and cap space will jump on him.

iT WILL BE A SAD DAY IF HE PARTS WAYS FROM bALTIMORE.........................(sorry caps)

I want LONG term deal and lotSA money to him ,..... from Baltimore.



Salute the nation

 

[steelhurt]

Tennessee?

Yep! I agree with this. Also Slash, wonder if the Pats would take a run at him? Not thinking they are sold on Mac!