Lamar Jackson declined Baltimore Ravens' $250M extension offer, wants deal fully guaranteed at signing, sources say

Although Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens have kept details of their contract negotiations private, the star quarterback turned down a five-year extension offer worth over $250 million with $133 million guaranteed at signing, sources told ESPN.

The extension, which ran through the 2027 season, would have increased the total value of Jackson's deal to just under $274 million over six years, according to sources. Jackson would have played out the $23 million fifth-year option on his rookie deal before the extension started in 2023.

The extension years in the Ravens' proposal would have paid Jackson a higher average salary than the deals signed this summer by Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson and Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray and also included more money guaranteed at signing, according to sources.

But sources told ESPN that the Ravens also balked at Jackson's wish for a deal that was fully guaranteed at signing, similar to Deshaun Watson's, prompting the sides to announce Friday that they had tabled contract talks until after the 2022 season.

Wilson signed a $242.5 million deal earlier this month that averaged $48.5 million annually and included $161 million guaranteed, about six weeks after Murray received a $230.5 million deal that averaged $46 million per year and included $189.5 million guaranteed.

But the issue for Jackson wasn't Wilson's deal or Murray's so much as it was Watson's, according to sources. The Browns signed Watson to a $230 million contract that was fully guaranteed at signing. The Ravens' offer of $133 million fully guaranteed at signing was more than both Wilson's ($124 million) and Murray's ($103.3 million) but well short of Watson's.

Jackson acted as his own agent in the negotiations