Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson gets off a pass during first half action during the Buffalo Bills divisional game against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Jan. 19, 2025. Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ravens' Lamar Jackson Not Worried About Contract Extension

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Sep 4, 2025 2:00 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is officially signed through the 2027 season, but make no mistake, he and the team are on the clock to get a new deal done.

When he signed his current five-year, $260 million deal in April of 2023, Jackson became the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history at $52 million per year. Now, though, he's the 10th-highest-paid quarterback in the league as more and more signal-callers sign massive deals of their own. As a two-time MVP and three-time All-Pro coming off his best season yet, Jackson is more than deserving of being much higher on the list.

On the other side of the coin, the Ravens have motivation to get a deal done as well. Jackson's cap hit jumps to a gargantuan $74.5 million starting next year, and fielding a competitive roster is simply not feasible with him taking up roughly a quarter of their cap space, especially with so many key players needing new deals. An extension would bring the cap hit down dramatically and allow them to retain many more players than they would otherwise.

With the season set to kick off in a matter of days, though, they may have to put a deal on the back burner. Following Wednesday's practice, Jackson made it clear that his focus is on the season ahead, not his contract.

"I think I tell you all this all the time. But, the season is here," Jackson said. "I'm not worried about that. You would've been better off asking me that during training camp, but I'm locked in, man. I'm ready for the season to start. That time will come.

"The season is here. I'm looking forward to the season."

Jackson has rarely discussed his contract situation publicly, and it's no different this time around. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta also didn't shed much light on negotiations when asked last week, merely stating that "those talks are ongoing."

As previously mentioned, the Ravens have several key players in need of new deals soon. Among those players are center Tyler Linderbaum, defensive tackle Travis Jones, edge rusher Odafe Oweh and tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. Jackson is by far the biggest piece of the puzzle, however, and until the Ravens know exactly what his new deal looks like, it's going to be tough to say who else will be back and who won't.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: