Lamar Jackson, the Ravens quarterback, has good reasons for not attending voluntary offseason workouts (OTAs). Unlike most quarterbacks, he has annual workout bonuses of $750,000 that are tied to his participation in 80% of offseason workouts. However, he has already missed too many workouts this season and is at risk of losing these bonuses.
The bonuses apply not only to this year but also to the next three years. Initially, they were believed to be offseason roster bonuses, but they have been clarified as workout bonuses. If he fails to earn these bonuses, his compensation for 2024 will be reduced from $32.5 million to $31.75 million. Although this may not seem like a significant decrease in his overall pay, losing out on $750,000 is still a substantial amount.
Ultimately, it appears that Jackson’s decision to skip voluntary OTAs may have financial consequences for him in the future. While we can understand why he might want to take time off during the offseason, it’s essential for him to consider the impact of missing these workouts on his contractual earnings if he wants to maintain his financial security in the long run.