"All year I was critiqued about who I was. I'm too hood, I'm too ghetto, y'all told me that all year. When other people do it, y'all don't say nothing. This was for the people that look like me."
- Angel Reese
(Via @IshmaelRJohnson )
No, Lamar Jackson is not being “greedy.” He is not injury-prone. He’s not a running back. He’s a unanimous MVP QB, who led the NFL in touchdown passes despite lesser WR talent and an OC that didn’t develop a passing attack. He has a 45-16 record as a starter and scares opposing defenses. He has every right to seek the value he feels he deserves.
No, the Ravens aren’t “insulting” or “disrespecting” Lamar with their offers. They aren’t “sabotaging” him with a franchise tag. We all knew the tag was coming if no deal was struck. If losing organizations don’t even reach out to attempt to sign a winning QB next week (I still have my doubts), then we know why they’re losing organizations. Ravens don’t control that. They have every right to offer what they feel his value is to the team.
Both Lamar and Baltimore have been independently successful in football before they came together, and no doubt, they would both eventually be successful independently again if they don’t strike a deal. But I’m rooting that they do, because I think great things could happen. I’ll just have to wait and see.
In the meantime, both Lamar and the Ravens are aptly playing the role of shrewd negotiators. As they should. There’s really no need to demonize either side.
J.K. Dobbins said he’s tired of not getting the ball, tired of being held back. Said Huntley should have never been in that position on sneak. And then he added, “If we would’ve had Lamar, we would’ve won, too.”