The NFL season is fast approaching, with many players ready to play meaningful football. One player who many have been eager to see return is Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has not played a snap in a football game since Week 14 of the 2021 season after suffering a bone bruise in his ankle, ending his year.
One of the many storylines surrounding Jackson is his contract situation. The quarterback is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and some had speculated that the fifth-year quarterback would hold out of training camp until a new deal was reached. However, Jackson shut those rumors swiftly, and has been active and present at training camp as he works with his teammates and coaches towards the goal of winning a Super Bowl
During “First Take” on Tuesday, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith was asked if Jackson should play football without a new contract in place. Smith made his stance clear, saying that the quarterback should hold out until he gets a new deal.
“One hit can end you! You don’t step out on that field until you get your money.”
—@stephenasmith thinks Lamar Jackson should hold out until he gets a new contract
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— First Take (@FirstTake) August 16, 2022
“We know that Lamar Jackson is a superstar talent. We know that Lamar Jackson is worthy of a minimum of $230 million guaranteed once Deshaun Watson set that marker, we understand that. We also understand, last year when you were out the last four games wasn’t the first time you had an injury in your career…You’ve had various injuries in your career. Something could end your season. Something could end your career. It wasn’t like you hurt your hand or you hurt your shoulder or something. No, no, brother you hurt those wheels. Those electrifying wheels that we have never seen from the quarterback position in the history of the game. You went down with an ankle injury, pay attention…It is a grave, grave mistake to roll the dice and take those chances, particularly when you play the position of quarterback in the National Football League. One hit can end you. You don’t step out on that field until you get your money”.
Smith paints a picture that Jackson has dealt with various injuries throughout his career when in fact that’s not the case. The quarterback’s bone bruise was the first time he had ever missed games in the NFL due to injury, and has shown that he is able to protect his body. He’s missed just seven of a possible 58 regular season games in his career so far, with one because Baltimore opted to rest their starters in the final week of the 2019 season, another being due to a positive COVID-19 diagnosis and a third being because of another illness.
Jackson hinted at Week 1 being an initial deadline on an extension before talks could be tabled until a later date. However, the former Louisville star is a competitor and loves the game of football, and has made it clear himself that he wants to be on the field with his teammates. Both sides have expressed interest in continuing their partnership in a long-term fashion, and it feels extremely unlikely that he’d hold out even in the event that no deal is reached by the initial deadline.