It wasn’t long ago that negotiations stalled, but the Ravens remained steadfast in their desire to come to an agreement with their star 26-year-old quarterback.
Jackson said on March 2 that he requested a trade. On March 7, the Ravens placed the non-exclusive rights tag on him, allowing him to negotiate with other teams. On March 27th, exactly one month ago, Jackson made his trade request public.
No proposed offers or trades were reported, and the Ravens continued to work to bring back their former MVP.
The Ravens signed Odell Beckham Jr. two weeks ago, which pleased Jackson. Immediately the two joined. The Eagles reached a long-term extension with Jalen Hurts that helped set the parameters of the star quarterback market.
Baltimore has been serious about upgrading the weapons around Jackson this offseason, and may continue to do so in the draft. That, combined with the arrival of new offensive coordinator Todd Mongan, led the Ravens offense in a very different direction under Jackson.
Jackson’s talent was never in doubt. He is one of the most dynamic and successful quarterbacks in the league, and he has helped make the Ravens one of the league’s best teams over the past five seasons.
Jackson’s 45-16 (.738) record is the fourth-best of any quarterback debuting in the Super Bowl era, trailing only Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady and Roger Staubach. He was the NFL’s unanimous MVP after a magical 2019 season. When Jackson was injured the last two seasons, the Ravens struggled to a 3-9 record in his absence.
With Jackson in Baltimore for the foreseeable future, the Ravens have their core and will try to clear the final hurdle. Jackson, who promised Baltimore a Super Bowl when he was drafted five years ago, has five more years to deliver.
