Lamar Jackson
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Ravens' general manager Eric DeCosta revealed that the team is discussing a contract extension with Lamar Jackson
The Baltimore Ravens have been busy early on this offseason, but the work has only just begun. With a new coaching staff, led by head coach Jesse Minter, taking over, the Ravens now have to turn their attention to their roster, which is in serious need of upgrades. Before they can bring new players to town, though, they may have to focus on negotiating a contract extension with superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Back in April 2023, Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million contract extension that made him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league. The problem is that Jackson’s cap hit for the 2026 campaign is set to be $73.5 million, which is simply untenable. At the 2026 NFL Draft Combine, general manager Eric DeCosta addressed Jackson’s contract situation.
Ravens Working on New Contract with Lamar Jackson
Ari Meirov
#Ravens GM Eric DeCosta says he’s confident that he and Lamar Jackson will be able to reach an agreement on an extension.
Lamar represents himself, and he and DeCosta have had several talks lately.
Lamar’s 2026 cap number is $73.5M.
Since becoming the Ravens’ starting quarterback late in the 2018 campaign, Jackson has turned himself into one of the top players at his position in the sport. Jackson is a four-time Pro Bowler who has earned three All-Pro First Team selections and a pair of MVP Awards. The lone black mark on Jackson’s resume has been his lack of success in the postseason.
The 2025 campaign was a struggle for Jackson, as he battled injuries for much of the year. In 13 games, Jackson threw for 2,549 yards and 21 touchdowns, but his rushing numbers took a serious drop, as he picked up just 349 yards and two scores on the ground, both of which were the lowest marks of his career.
Once Jackson gets himself healthy, he should be able to return to his old ways, and the Ravens are still committed to him as their long-term quarterback. However, in order for the team around him to be improved, he’s going to have to rework his deal with Baltimore. Whether that leads to an extension or a simple restructuring of his current deal is unknown, but DeCosta is confident that the two sides will be able to find common ground.
“Ravens GM Eric DeCosta says he’s confident that he and Lamar Jackson will be able to reach an agreement on an extension,” Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team shared in a post on X. “Lamar represents himself, and he and DeCosta have had several talks lately. Lamar’s 2026 cap number is $73.5M.”
Ravens Must Act with Urgency in Lamar Jackson Contract Talks
Lamar Jackson
GettyBaltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson warms up before a November 16, 2025 game.
While it may not seem like the Ravens are in any rush to fix Jackson’s deal, that is not the case. Considering how large his cap hit is set to be, this is a situation Baltimore needs to take care of before free agency opens. The more cap space the team has to work with, the more DeCosta and the front office can do to build the roster up around their superstar quarterback.
Baltimore has other things it has to worry about ahead of free agency (such as star center Tyler Linderbaum’s status), but reducing Jackson’s cap hit is easily the most important item on the team’s to-do list right now. There is still time for the two sides to come to terms on a new deal, but with so much other work to do this offseason, this isn’t a situation where the front office can afford to dilly-dally.