Why Lamar Jackson hasn't accepted Ravens' $230M-plus offer
Lamar Jackson is staying the course when it comes to cashing in big with the Baltimore Ravens.
The 25-year-old former NFL MVP was offered an extension worth more than Kyler Murray's ($230.5 million) — a figure Jackson was allegedly adamant about surpassing — but nothing has come to fruition because the superstar quarterback wants the deal fully guaranteed, per FOX Sports' Jay Glazer.
The Ravens, who extended their wild preseason winning streak to 22 consecutive games Sunday with a 24-17 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, are working to solidify a deal before Jackson's self-imposed Week 1 deadline expires.
Glazer called it an "uphill battle" given that Jackson represents himself alongside his mother, Felicia Jones.
Jackson skipped out on voluntary workouts earlier this offseason before reporting for mandatory minicamp in July. He has yet to appear in a preseason game for Baltimore, which was expected.
Jackson watched from the sidelines Sunday as backup QBs Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown shined. Huntley went 13-for-14 for 129 yards and one touchdown, while Brown finished 10-for-13 for 91 yards and two scores.
Huntley, 24, joined the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 2020. Brown, also 24, signed with Baltimore as a UDFA in May after starting at Oregon last season.
Jackson has averaged 2,922 passing yards, 26 passing touchdowns, 9.3 interceptions and a 100.1 quarterback rating — completing 65% of his passes — across the past three seasons. He has also averaged 992.7 rushing yards and 5.3 rushing touchdowns per season during that stretch.
The Ravens are gearing up for a bounce-back season after finishing the 2021 campaign with an 8-9 record, which wa last place in the AFC North. Jackson suffered an ankle injury in December, and Baltimore went 0-4 in the games Jackson missed amid losing its last six games of the season.
Jackson is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is due roughly $23 million in 2022.