Who's next? Jalen Hurts' $255M contract extension sparks Lamar Jackson conversation
BALTIMORE -- Jalen Hurts is now reportedly the highest-paid player in NFL history. The Philadelphia Eagles on Monday agreed to a five-year contract extension with their franchise quarterback.
According to the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Hurts' contract is worth $255 million over five years with about $179 million guaranteed.
The groundbreaking deal has raised a big question for NFL fans: who's next?
In contention for massive contract extensions are star quarterbacks Joe Burrow (Bengals), Justin Herbert (Chargers) and, of course, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens.
After over a year of fraught negotiations and cries to "pay the man," there's hope Philadelphia's deal spurs a compromise between Jackson and the Ravens' front office.
What's Jackson's price? We don't know. Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta is sworn to confidentiality in his talks with Jackson and as Jackson is without an agent, he represents himself in negotiations. There has been little to no specific contract information provided by him.
What Jackson has hinted at and what others have reported, citing sources close to Jackson, is that he is seeking a guaranteed dollar amount in a long-term contract that is no less than the $230 million the Cleveland Browns guaranteed quarterback DeShaun Watson in the contract he signed in March 2022.
While Hurts' contract by average per year is at $51 million, it still falls short of Watson's $230M guaranteed.
Sarah Ellison, co-host of the Ravens Vault podcast, thinks the Ravens would do Hurts' deal "in a heartbeat" if Jackson were up for it.
The Ravens used the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson in March, who then announced that he'd requested a trade.
If Jackson plays under the franchise tag in 2023, he would receive $32+ million for the season.
But Jackson can seek a new deal from a quarterback-needy team, and the Ravens would have five days to match that offer. If the Ravens choose not to match the offer, they would acquire two first-round draft picks.
The team has until mid-July to sign Jackson to a contract extension.
Jackson has missed 10 games combined the past two years and was unable to finish both seasons.
He passed for 2,242 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season and gained more than 760 yards. In 2021, Jackson passed for 2,882 yards with 16 touchdowns to 13 interceptions.
The 32nd overall pick in 2018 won the NFL MVP in 2019.
