The Baltimore Ravens signed Roquan Smith to a contract extension on Tuesday, but will wait until the offseason to deal with Lamar Jackson.
Roquan Smith has given the Baltimore Ravens defense a boost since acquiring him at the trade deadline for two draft picks. The former Bears first pick signed a five-year extension with the Ravens on Tuesday, proving he considers Baltimore his long-term home.
Smith’s extension sets an NFL record for his position, as he will earn $100 million over the next five seasons.
John Harbaugh praised Smith just this weekend, calling the former Georgia Bulldog one of the best linebackers he’s seen. Smith follows the Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis as Pro Bowl-level linebackers to anchor the middle of Baltimore’s defense.
“He was fantastic in this area. He only thinks about that. He doesn’t care what people think, he doesn’t care,” Harbaugh said. “He wants to do what it takes to be a great player, a great unit and to have an impact on his team. That’s what he does 100%. [and] That’s what I like about him. He’s one of the best guys I’ve ever seen that way, and I think that still impacts everyone as a leader, that’s for sure. I want all of our guys to lead that way. »
Will the Ravens also extend Lamar Jackson?
Lamar Jackson’s contract is more of a mystery. Jackson does not have an agent, which makes negotiations during the season a little more complicated.
Jackson probably wants to be the highest-paid quarterback in football, which would exceed Deshaun Watson’s contract with the Cleveland Browns. However, that would cripple Baltimore as it tries to build a Super Bowl-caliber team.
The Louisville product has made its money, and it will get it somewhere. The Ravens are rightly concerned about his availability, as Jackson missed multiple late-season games for the second straight year. Injuries are part of the game, and it’s not his fault, but it’s something to consider when signing a long-term player.
A franchise tag might be more likely in this scenario.
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