(Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
The Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson went through a lot to get a deal done.
Jackson used every resource at his disposal to get the deal he wanted, and it wasn’t always pretty.
That was why NFL insider Sarah Ellison cleared the air about Jackson’s alleged trade request, stating that it was never serious.
Ellison pointed out that players often leak their so-called trade requests to get more leverage in negotiations, just like when they scrub their social media profiles before getting a new contract.
Lamar Jackson saying his trade request wasn’t serious and was essentially a business negotiation tactic is an important point to remember.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen an NFL player use that trade tactic to create leverage, get a good deal, end up with his original…
— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) May 5, 2023
Jackson claimed that he always wanted to stay with the Ravens, which is why he didn’t take offers from other teams seriously, and he didn’t even leak them.
Ellison adds that the trade request is no indication of bad blood or any sort of animosity between both parties; it’s just business.
Jackson represented himself throughout the whole process, drawing criticism and mockery on social media.
It didn’t seem like the Ravens were willing to meet him in the middle or meet any of his demands, especially the one about the guaranteed money.
However, those tactics may have worked perfectly, as he’s now the highest-paid player in the league and will have more than $180 million guaranteed.
The biggest knock on him has always been his health, and he’s failed to finish both of the past couple of seasons.
So, he’ll now have to take the businessman suit off and get back to focusing on getting ready for the season to prove why the Ravens should have never hesitated to pay him.
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