Lamar Jackson, Ravens 'motivated' to sign contract extension before 2022 NFL season

Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals recently became the latest quarterback to sign a big-money contract this offseason and is now on a deal that reportedly carries an average annual value of $46.1 million. Denver Broncos signal-caller Russell Wilson could soon put pen to paper on an extension of his own. 

Meanwhile, Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson remains in the final year of his rookie contract and continues to serve as his own agent for negotiations. Both Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and Jackson addressed the situation when speaking with reporters on Thursday and seemed optimistic a deal could get done sooner rather than later. 

"I get to talk to both sides, and both sides are very motivated to get the job done," Harbaugh explained in his press conference, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "And so I feel like that’s kind of where it’s at. But Lamar’s practicing all day, so it’s not like they’re going to be in some kind of negotiation all day like they might be in a regular situation. So that’s part of the deal with that." 

Meanwhile, the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player added he thinks the parties can agree to a long-term deal before Week 1 in September. 

"I think so. I think so. I think so. We’ll have to see," Jackson remarked, according to Sarah Ellison of "Ravens Vault" (h/t PFT's Charean Williams). "There will probably be a cutoff at some point . . . so hopefully." 

It's assumed the Ravens will use the franchise tag early next year to retain Jackson's rights through at least the 2023 season if absolutely necessary. Logic suggests both the player and club would like to avoid that scenario by signing an extension this summer.