Report: Lamar Jackson Negotiating Ravens Contract with Mother Acting as Agent

Lamar Jackson is working on extension with the Baltimore Ravens without the help of an agent, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. 

Speaking to the Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday, Rapoport explained the franchise quarterback is negotiating his next deal with his mother.

"Agents a lot of times sort of act as the buffer for teams to players," Rapoport said. "So if you're really pissed off about some counter-offer, you scream at the agent and talk about why you're going to put him out of business or whatever you want to say and the player generally has no idea and the relationship is good. It is a little different with Lamar Jackson because it is his mom acting as his business partner."

Spotrac projects Jackson's value at $42.7 million per year, which would make him the second-highest paid QB behind Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes.

The 24-year-old is wrapping up a rookie contract that paid him $9.5 million over four years. A fifth-year option already exercised by the Ravens will pay him $23 million in 2022 with the Louisville product slated to hit free agency following the season. 

Jackson's mother, Felicia Jones, has served as her son's business manager since announcing he would turn pro at the end of his 2017 season with the Cardinals. While some teams initially balked at the notion of Jackson relying on his mother rather than an established representation service, it hasn't stopped the Ravens star from becoming one of the most coveted quarterbacks in the NFL. 

Now she'll help him negotiate his next contract and the stakes couldn't be higher for either side as Baltimore's championship window reaches its apex. 

"Lamar is seeing the same sort of eyebrows raised from the agent community, and from players as well, because his mother is doing it," Rapoport said. "There's a lot of pressure. It is unbelievably difficult. The stakes are incredibly high because if you lock yourself into a bad deal you could cost yourself tens of millions of dollars. It has happened."

Rapoport added that this will be an even tougher negotiation considering rookie deals are set across a league scale. For Jackson and his mother, there's just as much risk as is there is reward here. 

As the two work towards the next phase of the QB's career, the Ravens still have to make sure they get their franchise star locked in at the best rate possible.