Back in June, when Lamar Jackson finally addressed the mystery surrounding his languishing contract talks with the Baltimore Ravens, he suggested the most jaw-dropping pact in NFL history — the extension between Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns — had no bearing on his situation.
“I’m a man of my own,” Jackson said. “I don’t worry about what those guys get.”
On Friday, Jackson became a man on his own.
No contract extension with the Ravens. No guaranteed money beyond 2022. No protections against catastrophic injury.