Former Ravens Player Bags Huge Guaranteed Deal as Lamar Jackson’s Contract Standoff Continues

The ongoing tussle has left the Baltimore Ravens this close to losing their marquee quarterback Lamar Jackson. And while the standoff still holds strong, other important pieces have waved goodbye to the organization. Inside linebacker Patrick Queen, also reportedly wants to part ways with the Baltimore Ravens, as he earlier removed all Ravens’ activity from his social media. It seems that slowly and steadily, the Ravens are losing their most important weapons on the ground as one more veteran has decided to leave the team.

In addition to losing Lamar Jackson and Queen, the Ravens might also have to bid adieu to Marcus Peters, Germaine Pratt, Kyle Fuller, Jason Pierre-Paul, and Justin Houston, all defensive pillars for the team. Another defensive veteran is also set to leave the Ravens franchise, moving on to the next chapter of his life.

The Ravens lose a veteran

The Atlanta Falcons have been one of the most active teams this NFL offseason. Falcons coach Arthur Smith made it clear that the team needed some restructuring on the defensive end, and the Atlanta organization seems to be following along with his plans. The Falcons have already signed a new defensive coordinator replacing Dean Pees, who retired, with Ryan Nielsen. Jessie Bates III, defensive tackle David Onyemata, and linebacker Kaden Elliss were also added to the roster giving the team enough depth on the defensive end.

Read More: New Developments Emerge on Lamar Jackson Situation After Months of Trade Drama With Baltimore Ravens

But the Falcons didn’t stop there, as reports of them stealing veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell from the Ravens have emerged.

The Ravens initially intended to re-sign Campbell at a revised salary structure, but Lamar Jackson’s ongoing tussle with the organization took priority. The Ravens eventually cut Campbell to make salary space for Jackson’s non-exclusive franchise tag. Campbell freed up  $7 million in cap space and had the fifth-highest cap figure ($9.44 million) on the team.

The Atlanta Falcons are set to sign Calais Campbell for a one-year $7 million guaranteed deal, while incentives are expected to buff the number up to $9 million. Being the oldest active lineman in the league, Campbell is expected to bring a veteran presence to the Falcons, something the team is in dire need of.

The Lamar Jackson drama continues

Lamar Jackson is still waiting for his ticket out of Baltimore. The 2019 unanimous MVP refused to budge as he earlier demanded a hefty contract. The issue stemmed from Deshaun Watson signing a five-year fully guaranteed $230 million contract with the Cleveland Browns. Jackson believes he deserves a contract in line with Watson, but has failed to convince the Ravens.

The owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Arthur Blank, had an interesting take on the matter.

“Different player, different time. You have a winner (in Jackson), a MVP in the league. There’s no question he’s one of the top quarterbacks in the league,” said Blank in support of Lamar Jackson.

While many would agree with Arthur Blank, teams have been pulling out of negotiations leaving Jackson out to dry. Lamar Jackson still looking for a suitable offer, while his former teammates are bagging ideal deals, does make one question the sanity of the NFL.

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