Is it Time to Say Farewell to Lamar Jackson?

On March 27, 2023, Lamar Jackson revealed on his Twitter (@LJ_era8), that as of March 2nd, 2023, he has requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens. This came as a shock to Ravens fans and NFL fans alike. On March 7th, Baltimore applied a non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson after failing to come to terms on a contract over the last two years. Many expected Jackson to resign with the Ravens after he talked to other teams and considered his deals.

Jackson has expressed his love for the organization saying “No matter how far I go or where my career takes me, I’ll continue to be close to my fans of Baltimore Flock nation and the entire State of Maryland.” 

He claims that the request for a trade was entirely a business decision and that he prioritized what was best for him and his family over the wishes of others. 

When the tweet was released on Monday, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters “I’m following it very closely just like everybody else is here and looking forward to a resolution. I’m excited, thinking about Lamar all the time, thinking about him as our quarterback.” 

In the past, Harbaugh has vehemently expressed his support for Lamar staying in Baltimore and that he deserves to be paid as the face of the Ravens Franchise.  

Before the tweets were released, the manager of the Ravens, Eric Decosta, claimed that he hopes that the team and Jackson can come to a deal that is fair on both sides. In the same interview, Decosta claimed “Our ultimate goal is to build a championship team with Lamar Jackson leading the way for many years to come.” After the tweets were released, Ravens president Sashi Brown said “We love Lamar. We’re committed to getting something done.”

There have been tons of messages from managers and coaches alike that have expressed their support for Lamar getting the pay he deserves and for him to stay with the Baltimore Ravens. But, Jackson has claimed that  “the Ravens [have] not been interested in meeting my value.” Fans do not know the exact contract details Jackson is fighting for, so it is up to speculation for many. 

What’s in the future for Lamar Jackson, many do not know. Will he sign back with the Ravens? Or will he take a chance with another team? With Jackson’s numerous achievements making way for him to teams but his injury history also taking away interest from teams, anything would be possible.