OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Despite Lamar Jackson rocking the NFL world on March 27 by tweeting he had asked for a trade from the Baltimore Ravens, coach John Harbaugh expressed confidence Jackson would remain his quarterback.
Perhaps Harbaugh based his optimism on the fact teams were publicly stating they wouldn't pursue Jackson, who was given the nonexclusive franchise tag, meaning he could negotiate with other teams.
Whatever the reason, Harbaugh's instincts proved accurate as the Ravens and Jackson agreed in principle to a five-year, $260 million extension on Thursday, just hours before the NFL draft (8 p.m.
ET, ESPN, ABC and ESPN+) began. • Follow Round 1 live » | Best available » • Pros, cons of picks » | Trade tracker » • Cheat sheet » |Consensus rankings » • Scouting reports » | Order » | More » Jackson, who does not have an agent and represented himself, became eligible for an extension over two years ago, but negotiations never seemed to gain momentum.