Lamar Jackson reacts to the possibility of the Ravens getting rid of him

The Baltimore Ravens hope to keep Lamar Jackson as their franchise cornerstone for the foreseeable future. And Jackson, himself, appears to hope the same.

Amidst a prolonged delay in extension talks, there’s been some concern about Jackson’s long-term future in Baltimore. What if he plays out his entire rookie contract? What comes next? Would the Ravens actually let him test free agency?

While those concerns certainly seem farfetched, it hasn’t stopped some from discussing the situation. Jackson responded to such a concern on Twitter this weekend.

In a reply to a fan who questioned if the Ravens would “get rid of [Jackson], the 2019 MVP remarked that such an occurrence would “hurt [his] feelings.”

Lamar Jackson wants to be with the Ravens for the long haul

Jackson has found himself the center of numerous rumors this offseason given his seeming reluctance to get an extension done, at least in the immediate future.

What once seemed like a formality now appears likely to drag into the summer and perhaps even into next year. That wouldn’t be an ideal situation for the Ravens who are trying to lock their quarterback down long-term.

For Jackson, waiting does make some sense. While it comes without the long-term financial security most players desire, the longer Jackson waits, the more the quarterback market continues to explode.

Recent extensions for players like Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, and Matthew Stafford have helped reshape the QB market and should benefit Jackson in the long run.

In a way, he’s betting on himself. In a more tangible way, he’s betting on the market. The latter is probably a safe bet.

Nonetheless, Jackson’s comment certainly supports the notion that he wants to be in Baltimore for the foreseeable future, not that anyone should have been questioning that.

The 25-year-old may be coming off a down year, but he’s still one of the brightest young quarterbacks in the NFL today. Eventually, he’ll get paid as such too.

That said, it seems as though both sides will have to wait a while longer before that happens.