ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith is claiming to have inside knowledge pertaining to the contract standoff between Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.
Speaking during Friday’s episode of First Take, the popular show host revealed he had a conversation with someone from the player’s camp who made it clear that the quarterback never asked for a fully-guaranteed deal and that the team wasn’t willing to guarantee him more than $133 million.
“I was connected to someone in Lamar Jackson’s camp yesterday,” Smith said. “And I was absolutely and emphatically assured that Lamar Jackson has never asked for a fully guaranteed deal. A) they have never asked for a fully-guaranteed contract. B) the number that the Baltimore Ravens stopped at was $133 million guaranteed.”
Smith continued by saying the following:
This is with them knowing Deshaun Watson got $230 million, that Kyler Murray got $189 million, that Russell Wilson got $165 million. The Ravens, supposedly — according to Lamar Jackson’s camp — have stopped at $133 million. Now that is an insult if true.
There is no excuse — that is a lowball offer. In today’s market, everybody and their grandmama know it. Deshaun Watson is the outlier. The Ravens have no obligation to reach that crazy deal… but don’t tell me that what Kyler Murray got, Lamar Jackson doesn’t deserve.
This is a pretty bad look for the Ravens if Smith’s information is correct. Watson got a $230 million contract from the Cleveland Browns while Murray and Wilson got deals worth $189 million and $165 million, respectively, from the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos.
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Jackson was a much better performer than all three of the aforementioned and is certainly deserving of more than $133 million guaranteed, though there are concerns over his durability as he missed five games during the regular season and was not involved in Baltimore’s wild-card playoff fixture.
