Ravens insider addresses big Lamar Jackson, contract saga narratives

Back in the middle of June, Baltimore Ravens insider Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic suggested that he was optimistic the club and star quarterback Lamar Jackson would come to terms on a contract extension during the NFL's ongoing summer break. 

However, recent updates have indicated that the Ravens aren't close to locking Jackson down. Such stories have led outsiders to wonder if Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta and team owner Steve Bisciotti were having second thoughts about extending Jackson. For a mailbag published on Wednesday, Zrebiec addressed why such theories are hovering over the Ravens as of the opening day of July. 

Why speculation about Lamar Jackson and Ravens contract talks has become "rampant"

"Contract negotiations between Jackson and the team were extremely difficult the first time around, and I think people remember that, know Jackson and the team didn’t appear to be on the same page for parts of last season and assume that will carry over into these negotiations," Zrebiec wrote. "And two, neither Jackson nor his extremely tight inner circle leaks anything to the media, and the team is extremely protective of all things Jackson out of respect for him. Outsiders perceive the silence as an indication that the negotiations are going nowhere and a breakup is inevitable. To be clear: I’m not suggesting that. I just think that’s why the speculation becomes rampant."

Jackson went public with a trade request in early 2023 before he ultimately signed a five-year deal reportedly worth up to $260M with $185M guaranteed to stay put. However, he seemed pleased with first-year Ravens head coach Jesse Minter and first-year offensive coordinator Declan Doyle during the team's most recent offseason program. 

On Monday, it was hinted that Jackson could wait until other quarterbacks possibly reset the market for players at the position next year before he puts pen to paper on an extension. Jackson's existing contract prevents Baltimore from retaining his rights for 2028 via the franchise tag or trading him without his consent. 

Steve Bisciotti still committed to keeping Lamar Jackson?

"I wouldn’t characterize it as the Ravens playing any games," Zrebiec said about Jackson not yet having his desired extension in hand. "Owner Steve Bisciotti was very clear to Jackson about the team’s desire to extend him. I could absolutely be wrong here, but I still get the sense that there’s a general understanding on both sides about the timing of these contract talks and the Ravens will be ready when/if Jackson is ready."

The "when/if Jackson is ready" line could lead one to believe that he is in no hurry to sign an extension. That said, there's still plenty of time for the two sides to work something out before training camps open in late July.