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The Baltimore Ravens are reportedly expected to give quarterback Lamar Jackson an "exclusive franchise tag" that will prohibit him from signing with another team amid his upcoming free agency, NFL Network Senior Insider Ian Rapoport told the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday (January 31).
"Lamar Jackson is going to be tagged," Rapoport said before being asked by McAfee if the franchise tag would be exclusive or non-exclusive.
"I don't firmly know the answer, my sense is it would be the exclusive, because here's why," Rapoport added. "If they give him the non-exclusive tag, then someone can sign Lamar Jackson to an offer sheet and get him with the price of two first rounders. If it's an exclusive tag it costs Baltimore more, however, if at some point, and I don't think they will, but if at some point they ever want to trade him, they set the price.
"It would be more than two first rounders. So if they get the exclusive tag it basically raises the price in the event of a trade which I don't believe is going to happen."
Jackson, a former NFL MVP and Rookie of the Year, led Baltimore to an 8-4 record, which included throwing for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 203 of 326 passing, while also recording a team best 764 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on 112 attempts, prior to suffering a season-ending PCL injury. The Ravens ranked ninth among all 32 NFL teams with an average of 23.1 points per game during Jackson's 12 starts, but dropped to 13.0 points per game, the second fewest in the league, while going 2-3 in his absence during their final five games of the regular-season.
The Ravens reportedly offered Jackson a rejected deal worth $113 million in guarantees that would have "eventually raised" to a total of $113 million, a source with knowledge of the situation told ESPN's Ryan Clark earlier this month.