@bluecompass
I agree that he needs improvement and teams have figured him out somewhat. But when you start 8-3 every year, contend for division title every year, and are in the talk of playoffs every year -- then you have to give him credit. He is a winner and a top performer. That cannot be questioned.
No. That is too much money guaranteed. They need to work that out.
But you have to be realistic about your expectations. What teams make consistent deep runs in the playoffs? Very, very few. What QBs do you really expect to do that? KC and Mahomes. Maybe Burrow and the Bengals can be included. No one else can be, yet. Allen and the Bills have 'underperformed'. Herbert and the Chargers have not taken the next step. It is unlikely Hurts and the Eagles will do it. Lawrence has not done it. Prescott, Watson and Goff have not shown it yet.
People have expectations that are too high for their teams and are unrealistic. Some of the most dedicated fan bases are from teams that are not usually playoff contenders -- like the Saints and Bears. The Ravens are one of the rare ones that have a great fan base and usually win and contend.
Look at Rodgers who is an all time, elite QB. Look at his record against winning teams and look at his playoffs.
People that expect their QB and team to contend for the playoffs and the SB every year like Brady did are being very unrealistic.
A team like Cleveland or Atlanta or Miami could just let Jackson go and not have their fan base be livid if they lost.
The Ravens do not have that type of fan base. They are avid fans, they are winners and they like Jackson. Now, suppose they let Jackson go and start to lose. Their fan base will not be happy. This is not the Colts or the Jets for example.
Fans have to realize how hard it is to make the playoffs to start with. Then it is even harder to win once in the playoffs. Then it is even harder to win consistently in the playoffs. Murray, Watson, Prescott, and Stafford are all highly paid but not all-time greats, yet; and they do not make the playoffs every year and certainly do not make deep runs every year.
Rodgers and Wilson are both all time greats and look at them lately. Are they worth the money? Of course, because someone is willing to pay them. But the teams felt like they give them the best possible chance to make the playoffs, maybe win, and maybe make a deep run.
Absolutely he is worth more than half of what he is asking outside of Baltimore. Let him cut his price in half and teams would come out of the woodwork. But the issue is the guaranteed part to me.
Teams did not sign Murray and Watson, for example, because they are winners. They signed them for name and potential. Wilson and Rodgers could be argued are the only QBs that have been signed lately because the are winners. The teams that signed them fully expected to contend. Jackson would not be signed for potential; he would be signed because he is a proven winner.
Making the playoffs should be easy for the Ravens with him. Winning the division is very possible. They really only have to contend with KC and the Bengals in the AFC. Allen and the Bills, maybe, but unlikely year in and year out. Then a team here and there. But they are the 3rd-5th best team in the AFC WITH him; without him, maybe 10th-15th and likely out of contention for the playoffs. He is a 5-7 point difference every game. Only 4-5 QBs are in that range and he is one of them. NFL games too often are so close and tight and last possessions matter, etc.
But it will be interesting how it plays out.
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