Lamar Jackson is backing Ravens into a corner in the most respectful way possible | Opinion

OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Baltimore Ravens training camp kicked off this week, and Lamar Jackson – the most heavily criticized and intensely scrutinized man in the NFL – could be found doing what he does best: defying conventionalism.

It’s no secret that Jackson is in line for a big payday after carrying his team in each of the last four seasons and establishing himself as one of the most electrifying players in the NFL. It’s hard to turn on a television or radio or pull up social media without coming across some mention of Jackson’s unresolved contract status.

Thus far, Baltimore brass has failed to meet the demands of the 2019 unanimous league MVP. So, for now, Jackson will play the 2022 season on the final year of his rookie contract with no long-term financial security in a traditional sense. It’s a situation that many in Jackson’s shoes would consider so dire that they would summon every ounce of leverage possible and refuse to set foot on the field until that new contract was signed, sealed and delivered.

But there’s nothing traditional about Jackson. While some see a lack of long-term financial security, Jackson looks in the mirror and sees nothing but financial security. He and his God-given gifts – the rarest of physical tools, fierce competitive fire and unflappable poise – are all of the security necessary.

Jackson firmly believes he’s going to get paid in good time.

And so, rather than stage the the increasingly popular hold-in move – in which players report to team headquarters and attend meetings but refuse to practice until their terms are met – Jackson is approaching business as usual.

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Not only did he report to camp on time, he showed up at team headquarters nearly a week early to get a head start. When practice kicked off Wednesday, No. 8 took every first-team rep while aiming to lay a strong foundation for a season that he and the Ravens hope features a deep playoff run.

“Football motivates me,” Jackson said on Thursday while holding his first news conference of camp. “I love it with a passion. It’s all I want to do.”

Asked why he opted against holding out, or holding in, he explained, “I want to win at the end of the day and want to be great. I just want to work with my brothers and don’t want to leave them out here.”

Through two days of camp, Jackson has displayed an improved physique (he spent the offseason working to get stronger) and heightened accuracy on back-shoulder passes and deep throws (his other point of emphasis this offseason).

Somewhere in there, Jackson is squeezing in time to negotiate with Ravens officials toward a new deal as he continues to represent himself rather than hire an agent. The only thing he’s not doing is sharing much insight on the status of negotiations and what he wants in a new contract.

“We’re still negotiating right now,” Jackson said when asked about the status of talks. “We’re still talking about it – whenever we have mutual free time. … I’m working right now, I’m in camp right now. … The conversations, we’re going to keep that in-house. … I don’t like people in my business. If I wanted it out there, I’d put it out there myself. … Nobody knows what I’m thinking, except for them upstairs.”

This is Lamar Jackson – the player and businessman – firmly in control of his present and his future. This is also Lamar Jackson driving up his price tag day by day.

From the time he left college for the NFL, Jackson has faced heavy criticism. He didn’t have what it took to play quarterback, skeptics declared. He’s a great athlete but a subpar passer, critics even continue to argue.

But aside from the occasional good-natured wisecrack or Twitter clapback, Jackson pays the criticism no mind, instead focusing his energies on confounding defenses and winning football games – his way.

His approach to his future has proved no different.

When it became public knowledge that he would continue to buck the popular trend of hiring an agent and instead handle the task of negotiating a mega deal, the critics began crowing again.

But Jackson has remained undaunted in his approach and unrelenting in his demands.

Rather than panic and accept the first thing thrown at him, Jackson has surrounded himself with wise advisors while shrewdly slow-playing the process. He figures to cash in handsomely as a result.

In the last 15 months alone, quarterbacks have signed deals that have seen the guaranteed figures steadily rise to astronomical heights, from Dak Prescott's $126 million to Josh Allen's $150 million, then Aaron Rodgers' $150.8 million and Deshaun Watson's record-setting $230 million fully guaranteed in March. Kyler Murray's $160 million guaranteed via his deal last week settled in at No. 2 on the list.

Jackson, who boasts a 37-12 record and playoff appearances in three seasons, certainly must view the payday of Murray – a .500 quarterback yet to notch a postseason win – as the floor for his own deal.

He danced when asked if he seeks a fully guaranteed deal like Watson’s. But it would make sense for Jackson, who has been nothing but a model citizen and ambassador for the Ravens franchise and the NFL, to figure, "If Watson can command that kind of money while embroiled in legal woes, why can’t I?"

Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti has publicly voiced displeasure over the contract the Cleveland Browns awarded Watson. His divisional rivals have made it hard on him, and so too has his own quarterback.

Jackson has given the Ravens zero ammunition against him in this negotiation process. He has maintained professionalism, refusing to make threats of trade demands or negotiate publicly as Murray’s camp did. He has worked on his game and his body. He has displayed his commitment to his teammates and franchise. There’s no room for criticism.

Whether Jackson knew it or not, Biscotti watched his news conference from the balcony just above the interview area at Ravens headquarters. As Jackson repeatedly refused to divulge details of the negotiations and also continued to express a belief that an agreement would be reached, the owner could only smile. But no one could blame him if he was gritting his teeth.

Don’t let the youthful and laid-back demeanor fool you. Jackson knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s playing his cards just right and backing the Ravens into a corner in the most respectful way possible.

The absence of a Jackson extension could have caused a major distraction if the quarterback desired. But he refuses to let that happen, which has even surprised some teammates.

“I think it’s obviously a very strange situation for everybody else, including me,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said with a chuckle. “But whenever I talk to him, he’s always like, ‘I’ll get it done when it gets done.’ So, for some reason, people can’t really believe that, but all the guys on the team know that’s kind of true, and when he feels like he wants to do that, he’ll do it. So, it’s very unique in that way, but that’s kind of just the truth.”

And as wide receiver Rashod Bateman put it, “If Lamar’s not concerned about the contract, nobody should be concerned about the contract.”

Jackson wouldn’t have it any other way.

Grounded in his belief in himself and his faith and fueled by his thirst for greatness, he’s showing where his priorities lie, and in the process, he’s solidifying his worth as one of the most valuable quarterbacks in the league. Eventually, the Ravens will have to pay him as such.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Mike Jones on Twitter @ByMikeJones.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lamar Jackson is backing Baltimore Ravens into a corner in deal talks