The Baltimore Ravens are certainly thankful to have their franchise player, quarterback Lamar Jackson, locked in. For a while back in 2022, it didn't seem as though a long-term arrangement between the parties was going to be found.
But with the Ravens apparently now igniting the start of new talks with Jackson around a new contract extension to stay in Baltimore beyond his current deal, the newly uncovered rulings and testimonies from the NFL v NFLPA arbitration documents around alleged collusion are shining the light brightly on the nature of Baltimore's first contract extension effort with Jackson. It's all water under the bridge in Baltimore, but what may be of the most interest moving forward from these released findings may be Jackson's psychology in search of a new deal.
The findings should offer clues into what Lamar is looking for in his next contract.
The release of these documents came courtesy of journalist Pablo Torre, who went digging for the results of the NFL v NFLPA arbitration centered around alleged league collusion to dissuade teams from giving fully-guaranteed contracts to players. Specifically in the case of Lamar Jackson, it was indeed an ask that Jackson had for general manager Eric DeCosta.
When Jackson ultimately did agree to terms with Baltimore, his decision came without a fully guaranteed deal like the one DeShaun Watson had managed to secure from the Cleveland Browns. $185 million of Jackson's $260 million total compensation was guaranteed in some fashion — a figure that trailed only Watson's fully guaranteed five-year contract at the time. Per the findings of the arbitration, Jackson played hardball with DeCosta through the process, continuing to ask for a fully guaranteed deal.
“I’m going to continue to request a FULLY GUARANTEED contract I understand you all DON’T and that’s fine.” - Lamar Jackson to Eric DeCosta via text in 2023
Jackson's new round of negotiations will likely be centered around one contract this time around — Dak Prescott's $60 million per year extension (with boatloads of guarantees), which was signed last summer.
Prescott held out throughout the 2024 offseason and signed his deal late in the summer, securing a $60 million per year average to become the highest paid player in NFL history. That, plus a robust $80 million signing bonus, are clear and obvious benchmarks for Jackson's negotiations. That isn't a surprise. But knowing how much Jackson wanted a fully guaranteed deal, Prescott's guarantee structure should have Lamar seeing green.
Prescott landed a whopping $231 million in practical guarantees out of a $240 million total value. That's 96.25% of the contract guaranteed in some way shape or form, with rolling guarantees pushing through the back half of Prescott's deal. All of the guarantee money was injury guaranteed at signing. Bills quarterback Josh Allen has gone on to top the $231 million in practical guarantees after signing a new six-year, $330 million contract this offseason but a much lesser percentage of his new deal (75.8%, to be exact) is practically guaranteed.
Lamar Jackson should aspire to top the deal done by Prescott in every way imaginable. It may take him a while to achieve that, as he is still under contract through the end of the 2027 season — which will pose a challenge for Jackson's bid. DeCosta, for what its worth, testified during the collusion investigation that he was not opposed to full guarantees but was in the tense of when they were "pushed out to later years".
It could once again leave Baltimore stuck between a rock and a hard place with negotiations with Jackson. Lamar should feel emboldened to stick to his guns after the Prescott contract uprooted much of the status quo with guarantee structure in the aftermath of Watson's breakthrough deal. And, knowing Lamar was gunning for that fully-guaranteed deal last time around, he's got more ammunition to argue for it now thanks to Prescott's deal, a new MVP trophy and two fully-healthy seasons under his belt.
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The Cleveland Browns are giving Shedeur Sanders special treatment in training camp, but it's not the type of favoritism the fifth-round pick would necessarily want. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Sanders is the only Browns quarterback who has not been taking reps with the first-team offense during OTAs or the first two practices of training camp. Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel have all split reps with the first team. Despite being asked to throw passes to members of the equipment staff amid a shortage of professional pass-catchers for a four-quarterback roster, Sanders said he's thankful for the opportunity to show the Browns coaching staff his talents. "I feel like that it's not in my control, so I'm not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is," Sanders said to a question as to why he's not getting first-team reps. "There's a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I'm here and I'm thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is." Sanders, 23, believes that he can contribute more to the Browns than what the coaching staff is asking of him. "It doesn't make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person," Sanders said. "I know who I am as an individual and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance." The Browns selected Sanders with the No. 144 pick in April's draft. As a player whom many draft analysts thought was a first-round talent, Cleveland took what could be the steal of the draft in the fifth round. It's curious why the Browns aren't giving Sanders a shot with the first team early in training camp before the quarterback race becomes more serious. Cleveland should absolutely see what Sanders has to offer this summer. Flacco, 40, isn't a long-term solution at the position. Pickett failed in Pittsburgh. The Browns need to gauge what rookies Gabriel and Sanders can do with the first team. Having Sanders throw balls to the equipment staff is a waste of everyone's time. But then again, Cleveland has wasted plenty of quarterbacks.
The Seattle Mariners made one of the biggest early splashes of the trade deadline season when they acquired first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday. Following the news of the Mariners acquiring Naylor, it was reported that the team was still looking to acquire Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez and that the team made Gold Glove utility infielder Dylan Moore available. On the heels of the trade and the various reports and rumors that followed, Seattle made an interesting lineup decision ahead of Game 3 against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday. The Mariners had Naylor in the lineup to face left-handed Angels pitcher Tyler Anderson, his first start against a lefty with his new club. But it was who the M's had slotted in right field that was the most interesting. Seattle had Dominic Canzone playing right field batting eighth. This is a departure from how the Mariners have handled the position against southpaws this season. In previous games against lefties this season, Seattle has had Moore start in right. His recent struggles and the rumor he's on the trade block might mean his time in the starting lineup could be coming to an end. Canzone is slashing .292/.328/.513 with six home runs and 13 RBIs in 37 games this year. Moore is slashing .201/.264/.374 with nine home runs and 19 RBIs in 76 games this season. It's also interesting to see Canzone, a left-handed hitter, get the nod in right field over another lefty, Luke Raley. Raley entered the season as the team's starting first baseman against right-handed pitching, but has played the outfield most of his career and suited up in right field in 26 games this season. Raley is slashing .220/.343/.348 with four home runs and 18 RBIs in 49 games. He spent nearly two months on the injured list from April 30-June 20 with a right oblique strain. Canzone starting Saturday could indicate the team views him in better standing at the moment over Raley and Moore, it could mean the Mariners want to give him an opportunity against left-handed pitching, or it could mean that the team is keeping Raley and Moore out of the lineup while trade conversations are going. Or some combination of all the above.
Austin Hill's controversial move in the closing laps of Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has already been the topic of much discussion among those in the NASCAR industry. Hill appeared to intentionally wreck Aric Almirola on Lap 91 of the Pennzoil 250 after Almirola had gotten Hill loose in the previous corner during a battle for fourth place. While Hill was given a five-lap penalty for reckless driving, a suspension for the Aug. 2 race at Iowa Speedway could be in order. "I... you can see his gloves through the front windshield... and to be doing that at Indianapolis Motor Speedway of all places, is just not good," said Joseph Srigley of TobyChristie.com. "That should probably be a suspension, at least for next weekend at Iowa, if not longer. Yikes..." "Yeah, that’s probably gonna be a forced vacation for Austin Hill," said Christie. "Pretty egregious looking, and at a track like Indy, that’s a very dangerous move." "Maaaaaan not sure that's gonna hold up in NASCAR Court," said Eric Estepp of "Out of The Groove" in response to Hill's radio transmission. Hill told his team that he couldn't hang on to his car after the aforementioned contact from Almirola, though it appeared that the No. 21 Chevrolet was stable for a brief moment before he made contact with Almirola's No. 19. A suspension for Hill would also relieve the No. 21 team of all its playoff points, including any they might earn over the final five races of the regular season. Hill has won three races so far this season.
Jonathan Kuminga doesn’t have a good relationship with Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, according to NBA insider Sam Amico of Hoops Wire. Kuminga is a restricted free agent. He doesn’t want to return to the Warriors. Kerr benched Kuminga for the final regular-season game of last season versus the Los Angeles Clippers and the play-in game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Kuminga played in Games 2 and 3 of the Warriors-Houston Rockets first-round postseason series, but that was only because Jimmy Butler was injured. Golden State beat Houston in seven games. Kuminga played in every game of the Warriors-Minnesota Timberwolves second-round playoff series, but that was only because Stephen Curry got injured in Game 1 and missed the rest of the series. Golden State lost to Minnesota in five games. The seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Kuminga played in 47 games for the Warriors last season. He averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 45.4% from the field, 30.5% from beyond the arc and 66.8% from the free-throw line. The Phoenix Suns and Sacramento Kings are interested in Kuminga, who has career averages of 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists. The forward, though, hasn’t gotten an offer sheet from the Suns or Kings. As a restricted free agent, Kuminga has three options: re-sign with the Warriors on a new deal, play next season on his $7.9 million qualifying offer with Golden State and enter unrestricted free agency next offseason or sign an offer sheet with a new team. If Kuminga signs an offer sheet with a new team, the Warriors can either match the offer sheet or let the 2022 NBA champion leave and work on a sign-and-trade deal. “We’re trying to be responsible,” a Warriors front office executive told NBA reporter Keith Smith of Spotrac. “With the aprons and hard caps and all of that, you can’t just throw money around. We still love Jonathan. We’re hopeful we can figure out a way to strike a balance that works for him and for us. “But we’re not going to compromise our roster-building ability now, or in the future. We have to be responsible in the way we build our team.”