Lamar Jackson Requests Trade From Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson has made a shocking statement with regards to his contract negotiations with the Baltimore Ravens, announcing that he has requested a trade on March 2nd due to the team not being willing to meet his contractual demands. Jackson stated his love for football and his desire to help a team win the Super Bowl, while showing his appreciation to the loyal fans of the Ravens and the entire state of Maryland. He concluded by assuring them they would see him again in the future.

At the AFC coaches' breakfast, Coach Harbaugh was asked right away about the tweet sent out by Jackson. He replied that he hadn't seen it but he was keeping an eye on it and was optimistic for a resolution. Despite the press of reporters around him, Harbaugh was in good spirits, joking around and even speaking for 27 minutes in response to 32 inquiries.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh stated he is still in the process of constructing the offense around Lamar Jackson and there is no indication of a compromised relationship with the 2019 NFL MVP. Despite this, Harbaugh conceded there are untold possibilities looming over Jackson's circumstance.

"I can't predict the future," Harbaugh said. "I have no crystal ball. No matter what happens, I'm certain it will be alright. I'm feeling optimistic. I adore Lamar Jackson."

The Ravens put the nonexclusive franchise tag on Jackson on the 7th of March, which offered him the possibility to talk with other teams. If Jackson puts pen to paper on an offer sheet, Baltimore will have five days to match it or receive two first-round picks in return. Otherwise, Jackson stands to earn $32.416 million if he plays under the tag.

Asked about the likelihood of Jackson playing this season under the tag, Harbaugh said he wasn't sure, noting that it had been a while since he had last spoken to Jackson. The last communication between them was through a text message about the offense and the coaching staff. However, Harbaugh remains confident that Jackson will be his quarterback come Week 1. He declared, “You need to prepare for all possibilities, of course. I'm really excited about Lamar Jackson. He's a great player, and he was in great condition when he came back last year. He's energized to play, and that's the Lamar I'm looking forward to seeing.”

Ravens President Sashi Brown spoke confidently about the team's commitment to re-signing star quarterback Lamar Jackson on Monday.
"We love Lamar, we want Lamar back," he said. "We've seen today's tweet and we have been in good communication with him. These are difficult circumstances, but we are dedicated to doing what is necessary to get a deal done."

Previous reports have indicated that last September, Jackson declined a contract offer from the Ravens worth $133 million guaranteed at signing and $200 million guaranteed if he was still on the team's roster by the fifth day of the 2026 league year. If the two were to agree on such a deal, it would be second only to Deshaun Watson's five-year, $230 million contract, surpassing agreements by Kyler Murray ($103.3 million) and Russell Wilson ($124 million). Jackson is reportedly aiming for a fully guaranteed deal similar to Watson's.


Since Week 1 of last season, Jackson has been silent about his contract and has not spoken to reporters since December 2nd. When asked if he thought the timing of Jackson's tweet on Monday was for exerting pressure, Harbaugh replied, "I really don't know. It's part of the business of football."

Jackson's playmaking ability has made the Ravens incredibly successful over the past five seasons with a record of 45-16. This is one of the best of any quarterback in the Super Bowl era, only behind Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady and Roger Staubach. After his impressive 2019 season, he was named the NFL's MVP. However, the team has suffered in his absence the past two seasons with a 3-9 record.

Lamar Jackson’s tweet calling for the Baltimore Ravens to “pay him what he deserves” has added an unexpected element to his prolonged contract negotiations with the team.
Head coach John Harbaugh has consistently shown his support for the former MVP, saying that the team's new offense is built around him.
Jackson has thrown 33 touchdown passes and 20 interceptions over the past two seasons, but he has also missed 11 games, including a playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last season.

“That's the guy I want to see be our quarterback. That's my guy,” Harbaugh said. “We made a decision to go with Lamar Jackson five years ago. Why? Because we love him. We love the way he plays, we love his mindset, his charisma, his style -- everything about him we love him.”
The Ravens brought in Todd Monken as their new offensive coordinator this offseason and while they have yet to reach an agreement with Jackson, Harbaugh’s enthusiasm for the young quarterback could be a sign that the team is ready to make him a more permanent fixture in Baltimore.

Last week, the NFL issued a memo to teams warning them that they are only allowed to enter negotiations with Lamar Jackson, as he does not have a NFLPA-certified agent. If a club attempts a contract with an unrecognized representative, they can be fined $47,000.
When asked for his opinion on when the situation should be settled, Harbaugh jokingly said "yesterday" before noting that Jackson has handled the entire episode with class. The coach believes the tribulations of professional sports will lead to a successful resolution.

Harbaugh expressed confidence that everything would work out if the Baltimore Ravens were to have Lamar Jackson as their quarterback for the upcoming season. "It's a fluid kind of thing," he said. "There's no periods in any of this."

Jackson's trade request was discussed amongst teams at Monday's league meeting and the Indianapolis Colts' general manager Chris Ballard commented that Jackson was "a special player" and that his team would look into the possibility.

Martin Mayhew, General Manager of the Washington Commanders, has stated that his team is going ahead with Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett. Joe Douglas, General Manager of the New York Jets, has said that his emphasis is on obtaining Aaron Rodgers, and that any attempt to pressure the Packers with Lamar Jackson would be seen as dishonesty and immoral negotiation tactics. Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, revealed that rapper Meek Mill, who is a personal acquaintance of Kraft, had messaged him not long ago saying Jackson wanted to play for New England. Kraft responded that the decision would be left to Bill Belichick, the Patriots' coach.