Source -- Lamar Jackson's new Ravens deal includes $185M guaranteed - ESPN

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — In a span of a month, quarterback Lamar Jackson went from wanting out of Baltimore to signing the largest deal in Ravens history.

Consider it another one of Jackson's jaw-dropping spin moves.

After 27 months of challenging negotiations, Jackson reached a five-year deal with the Ravens on Thursday, the team announced.

The agreement is worth $260 million, a source told ESPN, making Jackson the highest-paid player in the league at $52 million per year. It includes $185 million in guaranteed money, the source said.

Sources previously said Jackson was seeking the $230 million in guaranteed money that Deshaun Watson got from the Cleveland Browns last year. Kyler Murray received $189.5 million guaranteed from the Cardinals as part of his five-year, $230.5 million extension.

«For the last few months, there has been a lot of he said, she said,» Jackson said in a video posted by the Ravens on their Twitter account. «A lot of nail-biting. A lot of head-scratching going on.»

Jackson then held up a football with a Ravens logo and said, «But for the next five years, it's a lot of 'flock' going on.»

Jackson, who represented himself in the negotiations, landed his deal 10 days after Jalen Hurts signed a five-year contract extension for $255 million, including $180 million guaranteed. The agreement also came shortly before the start of the NFL draft, when the Ravens could have selected a quarterback in the first round.

Last month, the Ravens placed the nonexclusive franchise tag on Jackson, which allowed him to negotiate with other teams and gave Baltimore the right to match any offer sheet signed. But no teams publicly showed interest in him.

Still, it seemed like the sides were headed for a divorce March 27, when