Details from Lamar Jackson's past Ravens negotiations surface — and another QB's deal previews what's at stake in a new round of talks

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. 

Arbitration documents highlight fully-guaranteed ask

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.

Dak Prescott's deal ignite's Lamar's leverage to ask

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.