One of the greatest players in Ravens history is warning Lamar Jackson that the team will likely screw him over contractually if he doesn’t take care of his contract situation right now.
Hall of Fame safety Ed Reed told Kevin Clark of TheRinger.com that Jackson, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, should be focused on keeping himself healthy until he has the long-term guaranteed contract he’s seeking.
“He’s just got to be smart,” Reed said. “I’m not telling him to play scared or anything because I don’t think he’s gonna do that, he hasn’t displayed that, but he has to be smart because it is a business and they will use that shit against you whether you like it or not. You can think these people love you. They’re showing their true colors right now. And it’s no shot at the Ravens because they are an organization that’s a business. It’s a business first. It’s the NFL and it’s football to the players and we love that, but it’s a business first to the league.”
Reed added that if Jackson puts his body on the line for the Ravens this season and gets injured, his reward will be a less lucrative contract offer when he hits free agency in March.
“Yeah, of course, they ain’t gonna pay you as much,” Reed said. “It’s a business, bro. I don’t know how else to tell you clearer than that.”
Reed wants Jackson to prioritize his own health while speaking on his own situation when he was in the midst of negotiating his second contract with the Ravens.
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“Yes, I would change because I did change. When I went through situations with the Ravens, I was in the last year of my rookie contract and I knew I deserved more — I still know,” Reed said. “I was underpaid. It’s a business, man. You’ve got to understand that. You have to be smart about what you’re doing.”
Through three games, Jackson has thrown for 749 yards, 10 touchdowns, two picks and a 119.0 quarterback rating.
