It's not a collusion issue. He is a flawed QB who is seeking a huge guaranteed contract that not only does the signing team have to fit under their cap they have to give up substantial draft compensation as well. He has also finished the last two seasons injured and his best season was 4 years ago. He has shown the inability to win in the playoffs and he really is more of an athlete than a QB.

Owners aren't colluding. They are just smart and risk averse when it comes to players like Lamar who aren't adaptable to any system and have huge flaws in their game. It doesn't help that he isn't exactly a member of MENSA and he is stupid enough to think he can do all of this without an agent.
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Running QBs age in dog years compared to pocket passers, and he certainly hasn't played at an MVP level the last 2 years, even ignoring the injuries.
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That's why I said $150 + million minimum. Yeah, you are probably right that it's looking north of $200 million. That is what is scaring off teams. Jackson is good, but not that good.

To me, the best thing overall would be to just lift the tag and let him test the market. I get why Baltimore isn't doing this, but I am getting to a point where I would be surprised if Jackson ever suits up for the Ravens again. At least if they let him walk they can plan accordingly. If not, no team will give up picks and the contract he supposedly wants.
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A sub-30 QB who had an MVP 3 years ago and since has failed to finish two straight season. That's all with a 1-3 record in the playoffs. And he's a running QB whose body won't stand up to the wear and tear.

You act like the guy has zero warts. He has a ton.
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How long will he be able to milk this MVP, considering he hasn't even come close to playing at that level since? Cleveland is an awful example and just because they do stupid things does not mean other teams should copy that.
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Yeah, imagine using the Factory of Sadness as some sort of positive example of how to do...well...anything.
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Harbaugh won that MVP for Lamar. I can remember during that season that the Ravens would be throwing inside the redzone when they were up by 21 in an attempt to inflate Lamar's numbers.
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NOT with his flaws and for the guaranteed money he wants. It takes an issue this crazy for all the owners to use common sense. The Browns did something very stupid, of course, and nobody else is willing to be as stupid. Its not collusion.
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Yup, the owners don't want to set the precedent and Jackson just isn't a guy who is worth setting the precedent for.

But if Mahomes, Burrow, Allen, or Herbert had a shot at testing the open market as Jackson is, I am fairly certain there would be a handful of owners who would have no issues whatsoever giving those guys fully guaranteed deals.
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I'm not really a Lamar apologist. I do think he's a good QB and great football player, though, plus he is exciting to watch so I'm rooting for him in that regard. He's also not douchey (like Josh Allen) and doesn't have a punchable face (like Joe Burrow). He had them at 8-4 and in 1st place in the AFC North before he got hurt. They lil bro the Bengals when he's in the lineup, which I find hilarious given how cocky they've gotten over the last couple years.

These guys have such a limited window to maximize their earning potential. If he ends up sitting out a year, I don't think I'd consider it a "win". I mean, I suppose it's possible based on the final details of the contract he signs, but I feel like these guys are best off striking while that iron is hot.
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I'm not sure Jackson fully appreciates the level of concern people have about his health. Even in his MVP year, I was never fully sold on the guy because running QBs just don't last in the NFL. I feel for him because he really is at worst a top 10 QB in the league, and other guys are getting paid who deserve it less. But the reality is, if he wants to truly get a chance at the big bucks, he's gonna have to bet on himself and lower his expectations about guarantees.
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I would think that if it were collusion it would be more about trying to set a precedent that players who do not have agents are going to be treated differently.

Lamar's biggest mistake is representing himself. All to save 3%.
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While I agree with all and also the bolded part, but I think that iron might be too hot and he could be burning up the best possible contract he could get. I don't believe he should accept a lowball offer, but at some point he will have to give some, especially if his demands for a fully guaranteed contract that is more than Watson are true.
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Well yeah…that might be a hold up.


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I'm far less concerned about the ACLs of Watson. He's mobile, sure, but he's not a "running quarterback" to me. (But that doesn't change the fact that his contract is stupid.)
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