The Baltimore Ravens‘ playoff hopes for subsequent season, to not point out their playoff hopes for the subsequent a number of years, are hinging on whether or not quarterback Lamar Jackson will get the large new contract he has been demanding during the last a number of months.

Many really feel it can take a deal within the space of at the very least $50 million a 12 months to maintain him in Baltimore, and there’s a scorching debate as as to if he’s price that kind of cash.

Former NFL star cornerback Joe Haden says the Ravens ought to pay Jackson as a result of he means a lot to them.

For @joehaden23, it is a no-brainer: Pay Lamar

To @ThomasDavisSDTM level: “If you happen to make investments all the cash into the QB, you may’t make investments into different areas of your soccer crew.” pic.twitter.com/gqH74rFOeh

— NFL Complete Entry (@NFLTotalAccess) March 2, 2023

Whether or not Jackson stays or goes may single-handedly imply the distinction between a great Ravens crew and one that’s nearly hopeless for years.

They’ve made the playoffs in 4 of his 5 seasons within the NFL, and in simply his second season again in 2019, they gained 14 video games on the again of an MVP marketing campaign from him.

Nevertheless, Jackson’s type of play as a operating QB has made him inclined to accidents.

He missed the final 5 video games of this season and the crew’s Wild Card playoff contest with a sprained PCL, and he was sidelined for 5 video games in 2021 due to an ankle damage.

The standard considering across the league is {that a} dual-threat QB like Jackson just isn’t a smart funding due to how injury-prone they are usually.

Then there’s the matter of the wage cap, which led Thomas Davis to counter Haden’s level by saying that paying Jackson may make it unimaginable for the Ravens to enhance the remainder of their roster.

That is undoubtedly an enormous dilemma for Baltimore and one which might not be resolved very quickly.

NEXT: 
John Harbaugh Feedback On Ravens’ Standing With Lamar Jackson