NFL News: Wednesday, March 8th, 2023

Tuesday was a big day in the National Football League, as teams had very important roster decisions to make. Teams had to decide if they wanted to place the franchise tag on some of their biggest stars or if they were willing to let those stars walk. 

All of these moves will set the stage for the next few days as teams begin to prepare for the start of free agency. Here are three of the biggest NFL news stories that have taken place over the last few days.

Ravens Place Franchise Tag on Jackson

The Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson continue to be far apart in contract extension talks, and it forced the team to place the franchise tag on their star. Jackson is representing himself in contract talks, and he was unable to find a deal from the Ravens that he thought was fair. 

Jackson has demanded a deal similar to what Deshaun Watson got from the Cleveland Browns, but the team is unwilling to make that kind of offer. By placing the nonexclusive franchise tag on Jackson, he could still negotiate a new contract with another team. 

Baltimore and Jackson can still work on a new deal until mid-July, or another team can sign him to an offer sheet. The Ravens could then match that deal, or let Jackson walk and receive a pair of first-round draft picks.

Giants Make Big Moves

The New York Giants had a pair of interesting decisions to make in regards to two of their young superstars. New York was able to keep their two young stars happy by signing quarterback Daniel Jones to a massive deal and also using their franchise tag. 

Daniel Jones agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Giants that is worth $160 million. $82 million of that deal is guaranteed, and there are also some incentives that can make the deal worth even more. 

The Giants also announced that they are using the nonexclusive franchise tender on Saquon Barkley to keep him in New York. Barkley was hoping for a new deal but instead will be paid just over $10 million in 2023. 

New York was going to use the franchise tag on Jones if an extension wasn’t reached, and that would have let Barkley test free agency.

Jets Have Meeting With Rodgers

The New York Jets are in need of a new starting quarterback, and they are hoping that Aaron Rodgers can be that player. Rodgers has still not made a decision on his future, but the Jets are in heavy discussions with Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. 

On Tuesday, a number of team representatives from the New York Jets had a meeting with Rodgers with one specific goal in mind. The Jets are hoping to convince Rodgers to request a trade to New York, but they also have to convince the Packers as well. 

NFL sources have indicated that the Packers are hoping to move on from Rodgers, but they would have to find a suitable trade partner for that to take place. The rest of the league will be keeping a close eye on this story as it will shake up the quarterback market, especially when it comes to the NFL Draft.

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All Media on this page by Associated Press.