Will the Baltimore Ravens put a franchise tag on Lamar Jackson?
The future of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is one of the big unknowns in the team. Will they put a franchise tag on him? Here are the options.
One of the great storylines in the NFL during the offseason could be that of Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who hopes for an improvement in his contract to stay with the organization, or test free agency if this does not happen.
"Lamar Jackson shouldn't step foot on a football field until he has a long-term contract done. And if the long-term contract shouldn't get done, he shouldn't play for the Baltimore Ravens this year."
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) February 21, 2023
—@mspears96 pic.twitter.com/LHQphLV5en
Franchise tag choices
One of the options that the organization could take is to place the franchise player tag on him. However, there are two possibilities: one is the exclusive franchise tag, and the other is the non-exclusive franchise one.
Baltimore has until March 7 to reach an agreement with the quarterback; otherwise they would have to use the tag. The non-exclusive tag number for quarterbacks is $32.4 million. The exclusive franchise tag figure has yet to be announced, though it is currently projected at $45 million.
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New #Ravens OC Todd Monken on Lamar Jackson: “Elite. You know, he’s got an elite skill set. … I think he’s underrated as a passer, in terms of his ability to make plays and throw it down the field.” pic.twitter.com/howrvTDF1F
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 21, 2023
Mike Florio, NBC analyst and owner of Profootball Talk, noted that “unless the exclusive franchise bid falls below $40 million, the Ravens will go the non-exclusive route.”
What is the franchise tag?
The franchise tag is a designation that allows NFL teams to select a player to be a free agent without restrictions and guarantees another year under contract if certain conditions are met.
The #Ravens will be franchise tagging QB Lamar Jackson this offseason, according to @RapSheet
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 31, 2023
Adds that his sense is that it would be the "Exclusive Franchise Tag" which prevents teams from signing him. pic.twitter.com/C2JBWrIoVw
Each of the 32 teams has a franchise tag slot and they can choose whether they want it to be exclusive or non-exclusive.
The two biggest differences between an exclusive and non-exclusive franchise label are the incorporation of salary versus cap and who has the bargaining power. A cap hit is similar to salary, but it takes into account all expenses that go toward a team’s total salary cap, such as signing bonuses.