Ravens have 'best offer' to Lamar Jackson laid out ahead of franchise tag deadline

With the franchise tag deadline of March 7 quickly approaching, the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson are reportedly no closer to agreeing on a new contract. Perhaps most troubling for Ravens' fans, the team has presented Jackson with their "best offer," according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.

"As of right now, the Ravens have their best offer on the table," Anderson said. "The context to that is that it's still pending, getting more feedback from Lamar's side on their latest proposal."

It's unclear if the Ravens' most recent offer will meet Jackson's demands for a fully guaranteed deal. But from the sound of things, negotiations aren't any farther along than they were months ago. 

With the likelihood of the two sides agreeing on a contract dropping by the hour, Anderson says the Ravens are still determining whether or not they'll use the exclusive or the non-exclusive tag on Jackson. 

Using the exclusive tag would lock Jackson into a $45 million salary for the 2023-24 season, meaning that any team signing him would likely have to cough up more than two first-round picks -- plus the expected monster contract that would come with such a move. The Ravens would owe Jackson $32 million next season on the non-exclusive tag, costing a team that signs him a pair of first-rounders. 

Hitting Jackson with the franchise tag does come with the significant risk that he may refuse to sign and instead decide to hold out. After playing out his fifth-year option, Jackson probably isn't keen on rolling through essentially another prove-it year for Baltimore and could force a trade if the relationship with the Ravens becomes irreparable. 

If the Ravens and Jackson decide to part ways, several organizations have already expressed interest in the former MVP, including the Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, and Detroit Lions.