Former QB defends Lamar Jackson for 'raging against the NFL machine'

Former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III has again come to the defense of Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson. 

According to Kevin Manahan of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Griffin said on Friday that the biggest reason Jackson isn't getting the fully guaranteed contract he reportedly wants from the Ravens or any team at the moment is that the 26-year-old is "raging against the NFL machine." 

Jackson hasn't used an agent during negotiations with the Ravens, and it was reported earlier this week that a representative not certified by the NFL Players Association had contacted other clubs on Jackson's behalf regarding a possible deal and to let them know the signal-caller "is ready to move on from" Baltimore. It was then learned on Thursday that the NFL sent a memo to teams telling them not to negotiate with a person named Ken Francis about Jackson's status. 

Griffin pointed out that multiple players have successfully earned lucrative deals working without agents in the past. 

"What’s the machine? It’s agents. It’s NFL insiders. All of these guys don’t want their bottom lines to be affected," Griffin continued. "The agents want a piece of this contract because that’s how they make a living. The NFL insiders want a piece of the information because that’s how they make a living. So by Lamar not having an agent, he’s cutting them out, and by not having direct ties to every NFL insider out there, cutting them out. He’s raging against that machine and he’s not winning that battle right now." 

Ravens executive vice president Ozzie Newsome recently admitted that team owner Steve Bisciotti said the fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract Deshaun Watson received from the Cleveland Browns last year "did create some problems" as it pertains to negotiating with other players. Watson was facing nearly two-dozen lawsuits related to allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions when he put pen to paper on that agreement. 

"Lamar Jackson has accomplished more on the field and he has a much cleaner track record off the field," Griffin pointed out. 

The Ravens used the non-exclusive franchise tag to retain Jackson's rights for 2023, meaning he can sign an offer sheet with a different club. Baltimore would have five days to match that offer or accept two first-round draft picks in return for Jackson. 

After retired quarterback Michael Vick said that Jackson should use a brace to play through a knee injury for a January playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals, RG3 took to Twitter to defend Baltimore's QB1: