Is Baltimore really willing to let their franchise QB walk for absolutely nothing?!? The Baltimore Ravens have made some huge news before the playoffs as they have signed their franchise player…Roquan Smith to a 5-year, $100M deal, leaving Lamar Jackson still without a contract.
Okay, this situation in Baltimore really is now getting out of hand.
No offense to Roquan Smith or any linebacker in general, but why is the Ravens hierarchy giving record-breaking contracts to players and positions that don’t involve Lamar Jackson or the quarterback spot. Obviously, Roquan Smith is one of the best linebackers in the league, he deserved to get paid the biggest contract for a LB in NFL history, and the Ravens were very smart for trading for him from the Bears at the trade deadline, but he isn’t Ray Lewis.
The only way to justify paying a great linebacker over a great quarterback is if that said linebacker is a young, hungry Ray Lewis. Yet, seeing as Roquan Smith is not Ray Lewis or a franchise-changing linebacker, while Lamar Jackson is a franchise-changing quarterback, it makes no sense to me why the Ravens haven’t put aside all negotiations until the offseason and just focus on Lamar.
Again, this is nothing against Roquan Smith, but it is much easier to find a great linebacker than it is to find a great quarterback, let alone the unique, rarely-seen skillset that Lamar Jackson brings to the Ravens offense. Simply put, with Lamar Jackson playing all 17 games instead of just 11, this team probably would have won the AFC North and be playing a home playoff game this weekend, giving them a great chance of making it to the Divisional Round.
However, now that it is the Bengals who are hosting the Wild Card matchup between the two teams and Lamar Jackson has still yet to practice, I don’t see how the Bengals DON’T win this weekend’s game.
And that leads me to the bigger question: is Lamar Jackson not playing because he is quasi holding out for a new deal?
Personally, I don’t think that’s happening as I believe Jackson really is hurt, but I can also see why people would believe that. Not only has the relationship between Jackson and the organization become a little frostier since Jackson’s injury, but also paying Roquan Smith, a player they just traded for, a huge deal before Lamar isn’t the greatest sign of respect either.
I mean, if Jackson and the team are as willing to continue their relationship as much as they proclaim, then why is this deal not finalized yet? I feel like Jackson and the Ravens have been negotiating for years now, despite numerous quarterbacks getting paid massive deals in that same timeline. Mind you, a lot of those quarterbacks haven’t even been on the same level as Jackson.
Nonetheless, we’ll have to wait and see if the Ravens and Lamar Jackson can put aside their contractual differences and win a huge playoff game against their archrival Cincinnati Bengals this weekend. Then, if the Ravens fail to advance, let the rumors and offseason intrigue commence.
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