The Baltimore Ravens are rolling the dice with Lamar Jackson—and his fans are reacting
BALTIMORE -- It's been the question on everybody's mind for some time: what will happen with Lamar Jackson? Deal or no deal?
On Tuesday afternoon, the Baltimore Ravens gave Lamar Jackson a non-exclusive franchise tag.
The star quarterback's future has been in limbo for months. Now, following a frenzy of national reaction and local analysis, fans are weighing in on the team's decision.
Some fans told WJZ in the aftermath of the announcement that they want to see Jackson stay in his Ravens uniform.
"Love Lamar Jackson. Love watching him," Ravens fan Randy Rix said. "I hope he stays here in Baltimore."
Other fans say they won't be mad to see the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback from the University of Louisville leave.
"I'm kind of just ready for it to be over," Ravens fan Jack Griffin said. "If he leaves he leaves hopefully we get a good trade out or something like that."
The bombshell move is amping up speculation among fans. They want to know if any teams will make a move on their man, or if Lamar will choose to stay put.
"He's good for the Ravens, but if the finances and the contracts aren't right, he has to do what he feels is necessary," Ravens Fan Akeisha Turner said.
Some fans say that Jackson may have hurt himself both physically and professionally during the last season.
"If he came out and played the last couple weeks of the season . . . the Ravens might have gone further than they did," Baltimore Ravens fan Townsend said. "So that hurts him in the long run because you can't play a player that's not on the field."
Of course, Ravens fans will have to play the waiting game just a little bit longer to see if any other teams offer Jackson a contract, and how the Baltimore Ravens will react.