Lamar Jackson Rumors: 'No Certainty' QB Plays on Franchise Tag amid Contract Talks

The Lamar Jackson uncertainty continues.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler appeared on SportsCenter and provided the latest update on the situation between the quarterback and the Baltimore Ravens after the team placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him this offseason.

"The Ravens do remain hopeful that the relationship with Lamar Jackson can thaw out a little bit," Fowler said. "The Odell Beckham signing can be a peace offering. Because this is a move Lamar Jackson himself would want. The Ravens are saying, 'Hey, we value how you feel about personnel and how you feel about the offense. And we care what you think. We're listening.'"

Yet there is still plenty to work through as the offseason progresses.

"There still remains a huge gulf in guaranteed money on the contract," Fowler said. "I'm told Lamar Jackson has great resolve in his contractual situation. He's not just going to take any old deal. He wants what he wants. And there's still no certainty, as of right now, he'd play on the franchise tag."

The situation hasn't really changed much in weeks.

Jackson can still negotiate with other teams on the non-exclusive tag, and Baltimore can still match any offer he receives with two first-round picks coming back its way if it chooses not to bring him back in that scenario.

But that interest and other offers from around the league haven't really come, so the Ravens haven't even been put in a situation where they have to choose between a new deal with their quarterback and the draft-pick compensation.

For his part, Jackson publicly requested a trade and said Baltimore "has not been interested in meeting my value." He has fought back at the notion he could have played the end of this past season through injury and is seemingly still in the middle of his prime at 26 years old.

Still, the football world is waiting on progress even after Baltimore signed Beckham.

At least the wide receiver group now looks better considering Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Devin Duvernay and Tylan Wallace isn't exactly a group of No. 1 options, but who will throw them the ball remains up in the air with key dates such as the April 27 draft approaching.

And that likely won't change as long as the "huge gulf in guaranteed money" present in negotiations that Fowler mentioned remains.