Lamar Jackson under scrutiny heading into pivotal 2026 season

Bart Scott asks if Lamar Jackson will pay his NFL rent this season  

Former NFL linebacker Bart Scott, who played with the Ravens from 2002-08 and now works as an ESPN analyst, went even stronger on "Get Up" earlier in the week.  

"Success in this league is rented, not owned, and the rent's due every day," ranted Scott when asked if it's fair that Jackson needs to prove himself all over again. 

And in a "what have you done for me lately" business, Scott's comments are actually fair when it comes to Jackson. 

Because in a 2025 season hampered by injuries, Jackson only threw for 2,549 yards and ran for 349, his lowest total on the ground in any season of his career. It made people wonder if Jackson's style has caught up with him and if he can be elite if his athleticism declines. 

Lamar Jackson will have to play under a new coaching staff in 2026 

While it's possible 2025 was simply an aberration for a three-time first-team All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler, Jackson will experience having to learn a new system under new head coach Jesse Minter and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, a Sean Payton disciple who runs a system that predicates on the quarterback being under center. This again brings up concerns about Jackson's durability and scrambling potential at this point in his career. 

Why another rough season could signal the end of Lamar Jackson's tenure in Baltimore 

The other issue is that the Ravens pulled the trigger on firing longtime head coach John Harbaugh based on a desire to get back over the hump. But with Jackson's current contract just running through the 2027 season, a franchise starving for a championship run may be wary of awarding Jackson a big new deal, no matter his standing as a Ravens legend, moving forward. A rough 2026 could lead to serious talks about cutting bait and truly ignite a new era in Baltimore. 

Put his most recent struggles, the national criticism, the coaching change and contract situation together, and Jackson, 3-5 with 11 turnovers in eight career playoff games, is facing more pressure than any other quarterback to have success and lead his team on a deep postseason run this coming fall and winter.