Lamar Jackson turned down $250 million offer from Ravens

Report: Lamar Jackson turned down $250 million offer from Ravens originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

Lamar Jackson is making a quarter-billion-dollar bet on himself in 2022.

The 2019 NFL MVP received a contract offer worth around $250 million from the Baltimore Ravens before the two sides halted talks on Friday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday. 

ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reported that the six-year offer included a higher average salary and more guaranteed money than Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray received in their new deals this offseason. It was reported in August that the Ravens had already made an offer greater than Murray’s five-year, $230.5 million deal.

However, Jackson reportedly requested a fully guaranteed deal like the one the Cleveland Browns gave Deshaun Watson, but the Ravens would not oblige. The Ravens’ offer featured $133 million in guaranteed money, Schefter reported, well short of the $230 million Watson received from the Browns.

The Ravens announced on Friday that they were unable to reach an extension with Jackson, who now play the 2022 season on the fifth-year option from his rookie deal at just over $23 million. He is in line to hit unrestricted free agency in the spring, though he can still lock up a long-term deal beforehand or the Ravens can use a $29.7 million franchise tag on him for the 2023 season. The team could also use the exclusive tag for 2024 at around $45.5 million in 2024 if no long-term deal has been reached by then.

Baltimore drafted Lamar Jackson with the 32nd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. The team earned three straight playoff appearances with him as a starter before missing out in 2021 in a season filled with injuries.