Lamar Jackson Wants to Sign New Ravens Contract, Calais Campbell Says

There may be a bit more clarity regarding Lamar Jackson's contract status with the Baltimore Ravens following Calais Campbell's Thursday appearance on NFL Network.

Campbell, a defensive end with Baltimore, told the network that the 2019 league MVP wants to remain with the organization despite potentially becoming a free agent when the market opens March 15.

"He wants to get a deal done, and that's the most important part," Campbell said. "Sometimes guys who are part of a team and don't want to be there anymore, use (free agency) as an opportunity to go elsewhere. But he wants to be (with the Ravens)."

However, it's unclear whether a deal that's favorable for both parties will get done, especially considering what Jackson reportedly wants. Last September, ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter reported that Jackson declined a five-year extension offer "worth over $250 million with $133 million guaranteed at signing."

Mortensen and Schefter also wrote that Jackson wanted a fully guaranteed contract like the one that Deshaun Watson received from the Cleveland Browns, which is worth $230 million over five years.

Baltimore apparently "balked" at Jackson's request, which led to the two sides waiting for the offseason to negotiate.

Jackson, 26, had a cap hit slightly above $23 million this past season.

The Ravens could place the franchise tag on Jackson if the two sides don't reach an agreement ahead of the March 7 tag deadline. The exclusive franchise tag would pay Jackson $45 million for next season, while the non-exclusive tag is worth $32.4 million but would allow him to negotiate with other teams.

General manager Eric DeCosta was still undecided as of Wednesday.

"Sure, they're big numbers," DeCosta said of the franchise tags. "We've known they're big numbers, we're prepared for that, and we've got four, five, or six different plans based on what happens over the next 10 days."

Jackson is an All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler through his first five seasons in Baltimore. During his 2019 MVP campaign, he threw for a league-high 36 touchdowns to go along with 3,127 yards. He also ran for 1,206 yards, a single-season record for a quarterback.