Ravens GM Calls Lamar Jackson a 'Good Agent' After $260M Contract: 'Very Smart Guy'

Much was made about quarterback Lamar Jackson representing himself in lieu of an agent as his contract status was up in the air this offseason, but Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said he handled himself well.

DeCosta joined Mike Florio on Pro Football Talk and discussed as much (5:53 mark).

"Lamar is a good agent from the standpoint of: he asks the right questions, he knows what he wants in a lot of different ways, he's aware of different mechanisms and issues with the contract, language terms, types of structures, things like that," the GM said. "He's done his homework with all of that stuff. He's a very, very smart guy, savvy. And he did a great job overall."

That "great job overall" resulted in a record-breaking contract.

He and the Ravens agreed to a five-year, $260 million contract extension that featured $185 million guaranteed. It topped the $255 million contract that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts agreed to this offseason and made Jackson the league's highest-paid player.

It was an ideal ending to a back-and-forth that dominated NFL headlines for weeks.

Jackson revealed he requested a trade this offseason because Baltimore "has not been interested in meeting my value." He also denied a report that said someone was negotiating on his behalf.

According to ESPN's Jamison Hensley, "The NFL sent out a memo to all clubs notifying them that a person not certified by the NFLPA might be attempting to persuade team personnel to enter into contract negotiations with Jackson."

Yet DeCosta's comments suggest it was the quarterback who was representing himself during negotiations.

Prior to the contract agreement, Baltimore placed the nonexclusive franchise tag on him. That allowed him to negotiate with other teams, but the Ravens could match any offer he received. If they chose not to, they would receive two first-round picks from whichever team signed him.

He ultimately ended up staying with the only NFL team he has ever known and will look to return to his 2019 MVP form after he missed the final five regular-season games and the Wild Card Round loss to the Cincinnati Bengals because of a knee injury last season. It was also his third straight campaign with fewer than 3,000 passing yards.

This contract gives him a new start, though, but he may have a future as an agent given DeCosta's comments.