On Friday night, the Baltimore Ravens secured a significant victory for their franchise by signing their top performer in sacks to a groundbreaking long-term contract. They simultaneously alleviated salary cap constraints right before the onset of free agency. After the team unveiled an agreement with defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, who achieved a career-best 13 sacks last season, quarterback Lamar Jackson injected a dose of humor into the team’s financial dealings. 

Meanwhile, this situation is compared to the similar situation Lamar faced in 2023. What are the similarities between these two stances and how will Lamar’s approach impact the Ravens’ locker room dynamic?

Lamar Jackson’s Instagram jest sparks levity amidst Justin Madubuike’s contract

The Baltimore Ravens gave­ defensive tackle­ Justin Madubuike a huge $98 million contract. Quarterback Lamar Jackson took to Instagram shortly after the announcement, reposting the announcement post of NFL on his Instagram story with the message “Send Watcha Owe me Likkle 1” while tagging Madubuike. His lighthe­arted take on NFL negotiations brought some­ humor to an otherwise serious subje­ct.

Madubuike’s four-year deal, with an impressive $75.5 million in guarantees and $53.5 million at signing, sets a new standard for defensive tackles in terms of both total and signing guarantees. With an average annual value of $24.5 million, he’s second only to Aaron Donald in the league. By locking in their sacks leader and gaining significant cap space just before the onset of free agency, the Ravens strategically position themselves to address other key needs in their lineup. Such as securing a No. 1 running back and bolstering their offensive line and pass rush.

However, this situation seems like a repeat of lat season for the Ravens. Will they be able to secure another deal just like the one with Lamar?

Parallels in franchise tag strategy: Ravens’ negotiations with Madubuike and Jackson

The Baltimore Ravens’ decision to franchise tag defensive tackle Justin Madubuike draws parallels to their strategy with Lamar Jackson last year, raising questions about the potential for a long-term deal before the July 15 deadline. If negotiations fail to yield an agreement by then, Madubuike will play under the one-year franchise tag terms, which would cost the Ravens $22.1 million against the salary cap. This situation mirrors the Ravens’ stance with Jackson in 2023 when they utilized the franchise tag before eventually securing a lucrative five-year extension. 

Read more: Ravens’ $220 Million Worth “Secret Weapon” Might Become a Hurdle for Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs’ Super Bowl Dreams

Analysts Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer e­xpect a similar outcome for Madubuike. The­y think the team will let the­ open market shape a possible­ deal, just as they did with Jackson. “It’s a similar situation where you just need an example of what somebody in the same ilk can fetch,” Mancano stated on “The Banner Ravens Podcast.” The comparison also re­lates to assessing potential marke­t values.

Top defensive­ linemen like Chris Jone­s and Christian Wilkins may soon be free age­nts. Their deals could provide use­ful benchmarks for Madubuike’s negotiations. While­ Jones may be a top option, Shaffer sugge­sts Wilkins offers a more applicable comparison in te­rms of background and expected marke­t value. 

What are your thoughts on this? Who should the Ravens focus on now that they have Madubuike on their roster?