Lamar Jackson
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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
The time has finally come for the Baltimore Ravens and 2-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson to put up or shut up — a blockbuster trade for Las Vegas Raiders All-Pro edge rusher Maxx Crosby on Friday night made the Ravens prohibitive Super Bowl favorites in 2026.
Now, with every weapon you could think of at his disposal, it appears as if the time for Jackson blaming others or not delivering has come to an end. It’s win or bust.
To add some more pressure to things, Jackson will almost certainly need to be paid now, in the form of a record-setting contract extension, which will make him the highest-paid player in NFL history and get the Ravens below the salary cap.
“Unless LV is eating a ton of Crosby’s $30M salary, this must mean that a Lamar extension is coming,” Ravens Salary Cap reporter Brian McFarland wrote on X. “The Ravens project to only have $9-11M in Cap space, so to get to the necessary $30M, it must come from Lamar. After 3/11 when the trade is official, Crosby’s deal will be redone.”
Jackson is currently playing on a 5-year, $260 million contract extension he signed in April 2023. The current top salary in the NFL belongs to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who signed a 4-year, $240 million contract before the 2024 season.
Lamar Jackson: Postseason Failure Defines Career
His 2 NFL MVPs have not defined Jackson’s career. To this point, it’s been defined by his resounding postseason failures.
Arguably one of the greatest regular-season quarterbacks in NFL history, since Jackson became Baltimore’s full-time starter in 2019 the Ravens have not played in the Super Bowl and made the AFC Championship Game just once, in 2023, when they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Baltimore.
“Right move for Ravens on Maxx Crosby… Lamar Jackson isn’t playing forever,” NFL reporter Clint Goss wrote on his official X account. “Put chips in & 14th pick I don’t see immediate needle mover at IDL/IOL/WR for them like Crosby. As far as 2027…anticipate being bottom Round 1 You’ve told Jesse Minter ‘go win the f’ing Super Bowl now,’ ”
“Ravens finally got fed up with not being able to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks and close out wins that Lamar Jackson and the offense would gain going into the fourth quarter,” Ravens Vault’s Sarah Ellison wrote on X. “Maxx Crosby helps change all of that.”
“I’m so sick of pretending like Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman and Mark Andrews aren’t enough weaponry for Lamar Jackson while Josh Allen and Drake Maye and Pat Mahomes and Justin Herbert would KILL for that skill group,” NFL Reporter Joe A. NFL wrote on X. “Plus Derrick Henry & Isaiah Likely & a consistently good OL. No more excuses.”
Lamar Jackson Hinted at Trade on Social Media
Crosby’s trade also explained a cryptic post on X from Jackson earlier on Friday — a smiling face emoji along with the Denzel Washington “Boom” meme.
After news of Crosby’s trade broke, Jackson once again tweeted out the Denzel meme, just this time along with 2 crystal balls.
The trade was historic for the Ravens in terms of what they gave up.
“For the first time in the Ravens’ 31-year history, the franchise will use a first-round pick to trade for a player,” ESPN’s Jamison Hensley wrote on his official X account. “Baltimore acquires Maxx Crosby after a season in which it recorded its fewest sacks in 15 years.”