Yahoo Sports NFL Writers Charles Robinson and Frank Schwab speak about Lamar Jackson’s contract scenario with the Baltimore Ravens, and clarify how the Ravens have continued to dig themselves deeper right into a gap.
Video Transcript
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CHARLES ROBINSON: We’ve bought to speak about Lamar Jackson. Eric DeCosta, the final supervisor of the Ravens, comes out. You hearken to him. He does this press convention. And you sit there, and also you go, this is identical deal? He’s speaking concerning the same– nothing’s modified in six weeks. All this time they needed to work on this, they’ve gotten nowhere with him, nothing. Hey, we just like the participant, and I talked to him. But there isn’t any indication that they made any progress.
I feel it’s now getting worse for the Ravens as a result of Rashod Bateman– Eric DeCosta makes this comment– and I’m going to paraphrase right here, however he is speaking concerning the analysis of extensive receivers. And he principally says– and I’m fairly near the quote here– if I knew the key to that when it comes to evaluating extensive receivers within the draft, I might most likely have higher receivers. The second you hear that quote, you are like, that is going to resonate. There’s some guys that aren’t going to be thrilled about that.
Well, Rashod Bateman, first-round decide in 2021 out of Minnesota, extensive receiver, has had some damage points there, was not pleased with it. So he quotes that tweet, quote tweets about it, and principally simply rips DeCosta and says, I’m uninterested in you blaming the extensive receivers and eight, quantity 8, Lamar Jackson. So he actually claps again on the GM and inserts Lamar Jackson’s title into the clapback, which I feel is a giant deal, as a result of it reveals you there’s this coalescing of– there is a group inside there. They’re forming in opposition to the Ravens’ administration.
And I feel it is lamar, and I feel it is these receivers. And I feel they’re sick of their [BLEEP]. I feel they’re like, look, Greg Roman was doing what he was doing. If you need to blame anyone for the way in which the offense functioned, blame the man who you simply mutually parted methods with, fired, no matter you need to name it. Yeah, so he is pissed off.
And on high of that, the NFLPA places out these– Jori Epstein and I talked about it– put out these report playing cards on groups. The energy coach of the Ravens, who they’ve now parted firm with, was graded an F minus. And the NFLPA made some extent to say not solely was it thirty second, lifeless final within the league, however there was a reasonably vital divide between thirty first and thirty second. They had been final, and so they had been final by a mile. So it is no shock that they removed this man.
That comes out. You had a few former Ravens gamers come out after it begin saying on Twitter, my profession was ruined there. Here are the accidents that I suffered. And I feel the explanation why that is additionally dangerous within the Lamar Jackson scenario is as a result of Lamar completed the season refusing, principally, to return and play. We thought, is that this contract-related? I feel it is truthful now to marvel if Lamar is in that group who’re like, I do not belief this crew with accidents.
It’s all dangerous, each indicator. If this had been a inventory, it is a inventory market and we’re watching it, this [BLEEP] is like Blockbuster. It’s like– we’re like, wait, what’s fallacious with the videotape film trade? And then a few years later, you are like, oh, my god, why do I nonetheless personal Blockbuster inventory? This is a complete catastrophe. That’s what this seems like proper now. It’s nuts.
FRANK SCHWAB: I get it. But the one factor DeCosta mentioned that I actually thought was very fascinating is you do not need to stay in a world with no quarterback within the NFL.
CHARLES ROBINSON: Everybody says that. Everybody says that.
FRANK SCHWAB: But it is true, Charles, as a result of sooner or later, if we will say this is not going to work out, the Ravens, Lamar Jackson, all proper, you need to reply for me– anyone who needs to commerce him to Atlanta or Carolina or the Raiders or wherever, you have to reply for me, who’s the Baltimore Ravens’ beginning quarterback week one? If your reply is Tyler Huntley, when you’ve moved on from a 26-year-old MVP elite quarterback to be within the 30s as your beginning quarterback–
CHARLES ROBINSON: He neglected the vital half, Frank. He mentioned you do not need to stay in a world with out quarterback. He did not say you do not need to stay in a world with no $250 million assured quarterback. He did not say that [BLEEP]. OK?
Do you suppose the Arizona Cardinals– do you suppose the Arizona Cardinals are sitting there proper now going, properly, jeez, man, we did not need to stay with out our $45 million APY quarterback. And god, man, we do not need to stay in that world. Do you suppose the Packers are sitting there going, god, man, we actually could not stay with out Aaron Rodgers and that $50 million APY wage after which the $60 million balloon cost he is having such a tough time taking. Do you suppose the Denver Broncos are sitting there going, oh, jeez, man, we could not stay with out our $200 million assured cash quarterback. OK, [BLEEP] then. They can say–
FRANK SCHWAB: But if the Ravens are– if the Ravens are like, we’re not going to pay this man, fantastic. But you are still setting– these are the quarterbacks all people covets. And simply to voluntarily transfer on from him at 26 years old–
CHARLES ROBINSON: The stakes are excessive. The stakes are increased than ever.
FRANK SCHWAB: Again, you have to reply who’s your week one quarterback. You need to reply that. And in case your reply is Tyler Huntley, it is like, what have we accomplished?
CHARLES ROBINSON: Frankie–
FRANK SCHWAB: This may set you off in that Broncos 2016-to-current path.
CHARLES ROBINSON: Frank, you advised me that every one final season, you had been clearly joyful for the reply to who’s your starter in week one for the Broncos– you’d’ve been joyful if it was anyone else apart from Russell Wilson. And so had been all these Broncos followers.
FRANK SCHWAB: Mistakes can get made, however I do not suppose it is a mistake to pay Lamar. I do suppose he is elite. I feel he is completely fantastic. I believed it was a mistake to pay Kyler. We talked about that. I did not suppose he was ever value that. I feel the Giants are taking place a very, actually dangerous street with Daniel Jones.
Russ turned out to be a mistake. I did not name that. I did not suppose it was. I am unable to sit right here and inform you paying Lamar Jackson is a mistake. What I’m saying is except the Falcons simply go to you and say, this is a clean test, no matter, nonetheless many picks you need for the subsequent 5 years, we do not care– except you bought a proposal like that, I’m not shifting on from Lamar Jackson.
I’m saying, look, we bought the franchise tag. Let’s nonetheless work collectively, determine this out. We know you are mad. We are at an deadlock, however you are not going wherever till we completely, positively have to offer you up, as a result of you’re a 26-year-old former MVP quarterback. And these issues do not come alongside fairly often within the NFL.
