The Baltimore Ravens’ ongoing negotiations with quarterback Lamar Jackson took a bizarre turn on Thursday after the NFL issued a notice to teams that an unapproved party has been contacting teams on his behalf. Ken Francis, a businessman with loose ties to Jackson, was named as the party in question in the league’s memo, though his exact role in any negotiations that the quarterback has had since free agency opened is unclear.
While the veracity of the league’s assertion is disputed by Jackson, this memo wouldn’t have been released if there was no cause for concern on the NFL’s behalf. Unapproved agents are prohibited from negotiating contracts or trades on any players’ behalf, and teams will be subject to fines if they try to broker a deal with Jackson through this mysterious figure.
Source: NFL sent a memo to all clubs letting them know that the NFLPA informed the league that a person by the name of Ken Francis, who is not an NFLPA certified agent, may be contacting teams and attempting to persuade team personnel to enter into negotiations with Lamar Jackson
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 23, 2023
This development could be a reason that Baltimore’s negotiations with Jackson have been at a standstill, though without more information, nothing can be certain. Francis’ role in the quarterback’s future remains ambiguous, and details regarding his involvement in Jackson’s current situation are still murky.
One thing is clear, though; something has been happening behind the scenes that has delayed a deal from getting done. As a preeminent figure in the NFL, Jackson should have suitors around the league lining up for his services, and the Ravens should have had a contract to match or decline by this point in the free agency process.
More news about Francis’ involvement with Jackson is sure to break in the coming days and weeks, though any further details about his involvement at this juncture would be pure speculation. With the 2023 NFL draft looming large over the football landscape following the first two weeks of the legal tampering period, teams who may have previously been interested in Jackson could now look to younger prospects who won’t bring additional baggage with them next season.