Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson spoke to the media on Thursday for the first time since January, and as one might expect, there was plenty to talk about.
Jackson was asked about a variety of topics primarily related to his absence from OTAs and his contract situation. The latter of which provided the most interesting response.
When asked about whether he would show up to training camp and play this year without an extension, Jackson offered a less-than-thrilling reply.
The 2019 NFL MVP simply said “I don’t know,” and that the two sides were “having a conversation about it.” While it may not be time to sound the alarms just yet, that’s not the type of response most fans would have wanted.
Would Lamar Jackson really hold out of Ravens training camp?
Let’s get one thing straight first, though. It would be very out of character and directly oppose previous comments that Jackson made for him to actually hold out for training camp.
Jackson made it clear in the same press conference that he believes he’ll play in Baltimore for the remainder of his career and that he wants to be out there playing with his teammates.
Despite his seemingly unsure response, I wouldn’t read too much into it.
Jackson’s uncertain contract situation has been one of the predominant storylines for the Ravens this offseason. The 25-year-old is set to enter his fifth NFL season playing on his fifth-year option — a rarity for top young quarterbacks around the league.
The word has been that the Ravens are eager to get a deal done but that Jackson has been hesitant. Most seem to believe this is due to his belief that his value will only go up over the next year, although that would certainly be a gamble on his part.
As the weeks and months have gone on, the likelihood that the Ravens and Jackson actually reach an extension before Week 1 has seemed less and less likely. It would be a surprise if the two sides did come to terms on an agreement before the start of the season.
That said, it would also be a surprise if Jackson wasn’t right there alongside his teammates come the start of training camp.
Despite his comments, don’t expect Lamar Jackson to hold out this summer — extension or no extension.