The Baltimore Ravens have their sights set on their upcoming Week 1 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, but ahead of this game, fans of the team remained hopeful that the team would manage to sign superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson to a new contract extension. However, reports have indicated that will not be happening, as the two sides are tabling these talks for the time being.
Many folks believed that this offseason was the perfect time for Baltimore to address Jackson’s contract situation, as his $84.3 million salary cap hit for the 2027 season simply is untenable. Over the past few days, the Ravens acted with a heightened sense of urgency when it came to their talks with Jackson, but now that the talks have been put on hold, the team’s true feelings on the situation have been revealed.
Ravens Not Worried About Lamar Jackson’s Contract Situation
Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million contract with the Ravens in 2023, and while he still has two years left on this deal, the expectation was that the front office would tweak it this offseason. Again, Jackson’s cap hit next year is astronomical, and the belief was that the two-time MVP wanted to inch back towards the top of the quarterback market in terms of his annual salary.
Nothing ever managed to come together, though, which has put Baltimore in a tough spot. It knows next offseason it is going to have to do something with Jackson’s contract, which gives him all the leverage in these negotiations moving forward. Had the Ravens acted quickly this offseason, they could have changed the narrative surrounding this situation, but they dropped the ball.
There’s no doubt that the front office knows the situation it is in, which has added some unique stakes to the 2026 campaign for Jackson. Despite the implications that have emerged as a result of these failed negotiations, Baltimore reportedly isn’t worried about its star quarterback’s current contract situation.
No deal done right now, and no talks expected during the season from what I understand,” Garafolo said on “NFL GameDay.” “There is one more year left on the deal after this, so no one that I talked to in Baltimore is panicking whatsoever.
Ravens Could Regret Not Paying Lamar Jackson This Offseason
With the Ravens not giving him what he is looking for, Jackson decided to bet on himself in 2026. Even though he is fresh off a somewhat disappointing season in 2025, it is worth noting that Jackson was battling injuries for much of the year. Now that he’s healthy, he should be able to remind the league just how dangerous a player he is.
Baltimore faces Super Bowl expectations once again, and you can make a case that this is the most talented roster it has surrounded Jackson with during his time as a starter. Per usual, though, Jackson will determine just how far this team goes, and he will look to get off on the right foot to begin the year by picking up a win over Indy on Sunday afternoon.
Ravens True Thoughts on Failed Lamar Jackson Contract Extension Talks