Lamar Jackson wants out of Baltimore.
In a series of tweets on Monday, Jackson shared a “letter to my fans” announcing that he has formally asked the Ravens to trade him. The star quarterback says he made the request on March 2 after it became clear that Baltimore “has not been interested in meeting my value.”
Jackson and the Ravens have tried to work on a contract extension for well over a year. The former MVP does not have an agent, which seems to have complicated the process a great deal.
Last Thursday, the NFL Management Council sent a warning to the league’s teams that a man named Ken Francis may be trying to contact teams to discuss contract matters on Jackson’s behalf. The warning stated that Francis is not a certified NFLPA agent and therefore teams are prohibited from talking contract matters with him.
Jackson issued a strong denial to the claims that someone is negotiating on his behalf.
The Ravens used the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson this offseason. The 26-year-old can sign an offer sheet with another team that the Ravens would have a chance to match. If the Ravens declined to match, the other team would have to send draft compensation to Baltimore. Or Jackson can sign his tender and play for Baltimore for $32.4 million in 2023. It sounds like he does not want the latter, and hopes to find his way out of town one way or another.
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