Lamar Jackson's Contract Situation Is Getting Dangerous for the Ravens

April 10, 2026
Baltimore Ravens quaterback Lamar Jackson walks off after 2025 game.

The Baltimore Ravens came into this offseason with one priority above all others: get Lamar Jackson's contract extension done before free agency opened. 

They didn't. 

GM Eric DeCosta acknowledged it plainly when the league year began: "We kind of ran out of time," he told reporters, adding that an extension remains "important to both parties." Instead, Baltimore was forced to restructure Jackson's existing deal, converting $49.95 million of his salary into a signing bonus, clearing roughly $40 million in cap space for 2026 while pushing his cap figure to $84.49 million in 2027. 

That's the second-highest cap number in the NFL in a single season, and a figure Baltimore almost certainly cannot absorb. 

CBS Sports insider Jonathan Jones reported that "the Ravens have wanted to get a deal done with the self-represented Jackson but have been unable to." 

ESPN's Louis Riddick went further, suggesting that if no extension is reached, the Ravens may eventually have to consider trading him.

The Numbers Are Brutal & Time is Ticking

Jackson carries a cash schedule of $52 million per season through 2027, making him the third-highest paid QB in the league behind only Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. 

To surpass Dak Prescott's $60 million average, which is the market Jackson is widely expected to demand, or exceed, a new deal would have to shatter that number. 

Former Ravens coach John Harbaugh predicted last year that "when Lamar gets paid, he's going to be the highest-paid player in football, just like he was last time." Owner Steve Bisciotti has expressed willingness to get it done, saying he wants "another window" and believes Jackson would accept something modeled on his 2023 deal at a higher number. 

But Jackson holds unusual leverage here, as his contract contains both a no-tag clause and a no-trade clause, meaning Baltimore cannot franchise him again after 2027, and cannot move him without his approval. 

If they don't get a deal done before the 2028 offseason, he hits free agency outright. That's a position no franchise wants to be in with a two-time MVP.

Jackson Showed Up, Now the Ravens Have to Match It

The more recent development is actually encouraging for Baltimore. 

Jackson reported for Phase 1 of the team's voluntary offseason program on April 6th, which is a significant departure from his usual spring routine, as he attended just one of nine OTAs last year while training privately in South Florida. 

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler noted it as a sign of good faith and said the Ravens are "motivated to get something done" with Jackson in the building. 

New head coach Jesse Minter has kept his public comments measured, saying only that "Lamar knows how the organization feels about him" and that he expects things to "work itself out in due time." 

Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

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