Ravens' negotiations with Lamar Jackson and Roquan Smith will shape their future

The Baltimore Ravens' offseason drama will constitute popcorn-worthy drama for decision-makers around the league. 

General managers, personnel executives and the agent community will closely observe how the franchise handles their upcoming negotiations with two of the NFL's premier players, both of whom are reportedly seeking market-setting deals.  

Although decision-makers around the NFL pay close attention to impending deals involving top players at marquee positions, the fact Lamar Jackson and Roquan Smith are handling the discussions without an agent certainly adds intrigue to the situation. 

Without a middleman to broker the discussions between team and player, the contentious conversations can leave scars during the debate process. Moreover, the lengthy negotiations can lead players to question how much the team values their contributions to the team. 

From a team standpoint, the lead negotiator must determine whether it is worth the trouble to haggle over details that could derail the relationship between team and player. Whether the debates involve guaranteed money or workout bonuses or annual salary, the preservation of the relationship requires outstanding communication and after care to ensure the player feels valued and loved by the team. 

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta will craft a strategy that enables the team to keep both blue-chip players in place for a five-year run. With the team projected to have $48 million of salary-cap space in 2023 and a franchise tag available, it is sensible for the Ravens to secure a deal with Smith before negotiating with Jackson.

As a terrific athlete with 600-plus career tackles, 16.5 sacks and seven interceptions, Smith is the defensive playmaker that the Ravens have missed in the middle since CJ Mosley's departure. The fifth-year pro wreaks havoc on opponents as a sideline-to-sideline pursuer with A-plus instincts and diagnostic skills. 

The market has surged to the $19 million mark for playmaking linebackers following the deals issued to Shaquille Leonard (five years, $98 million with $52.5 in guarantees) and Fred Warner (five years, $95 million with $40.5 in guarantees) in 2021. Although Smith's resume does not match his counterparts, the veteran linebacker should get close to the high-water mark based on Foye Oluokun's deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars (three-year, $45 million with $28 million fully guaranteed). 

Considering the former sixth-round pick netted a $15 million annual average after leading the league in tackles in 2021, Smith should use that contract as the floor for a negotiation that should make him one of the highest-paid linebackers in the league. After watching the defense flounder following Mosley's departure after a bitter contract dispute, the Ravens should willingly meet the veteran at his asking price. 

The Ravens gave up second- and fifth-round picks for Smith's services. As FOX Sports' Peter Schrager noted Thursday, the compensatory pick that Baltimore would receive if Smith signed elsewhere would likely fall after the third round in 2024. Though the Ravens are regarded as one of the best drafting teams in the league, the player is more valuable than the pick, and they should make every effort to keep Smith in the fold on a long-term extension. 

If the Ravens are able to take care of Smith's negotiation during the regular season, the team will have a few options to utilize to keep Jackson in place. The team could offer the former MVP a deal that places him at or near the $50 million mark to match the recent deal inked by Aaron Rodgers (three years, $150.815 million) in the off-season. 

Fair or not, that is the going rate for elite quarterbacks and Jackson's résumé warrants that kind of compensation based on his individual and team accomplishments. The team reportedly was willing to give Jackson a deal that surpassed Russell Wilson's contract with the Denver Broncos (five years, $245 million). While the offer fell short of the $230 million guarantee secured by Deshaun Watson when he inked his new deal with the Cleveland Browns, the annual salary placed him near the top of the charts at the position. 

If the team is unable to reach terms on a long-term deal, the exclusive franchise tag will cost the team at least $45 million in 2023. If Jackson plays on the tag for a season and is tagged again, he would receive $54 million in 2024, per the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. 

Considering the $100 million in guarantees between the two tags, the Ravens will certainly need to offer a blockbuster deal to entice Jackson to sign a deal that ties him to the franchise for the next five years. The former MVP is in line to utilize Kirk Cousins' tactics to force the team to offer a market-busting deal that takes the annual compensation for blue-chip quarterbacks into another stratosphere. 

As the Ravens contemplate how to play the poker game with a pair of stars brokering their own deals, the rest of the league is watching and taking notes. 

How Eric DeCosta navigates this situation with Smith and Jackson could establish a blueprint for others to utilize when inking their marquee players to new deals. 

Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He regularly appears on "Speak For Yourself" and also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the "Moving the Sticks" podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.