Ravens QB Lamar Jackson worried about 'getting back right,' not extension

As expected, Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson remained sidelined for what became Sunday's season-ending loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers because of the ankle injury he initially suffered back on Dec. 12 during a defeat at the Cleveland Browns. 

Without a healthy Jackson in the lineup, the Ravens failed to end a costly losing streak, dropped their last six games, and fell to 8-9 and out of the AFC playoffs. The 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player is on track to begin the 2022 campaign on the fifth-year option attached to his rookie contract, and he told reporters Monday he and the Ravens haven't yet discussed putting pen to paper on a long-term deal. 

"We haven't talked about it [a contract extension] yet," Jackson explained, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. "Man, I got to worry about getting back right, right now, and getting ready for this offseason."

There is currently no indication the Ravens are even considering moving on from Jackson, and he admitted Monday he wanted to play through his ankle setback even though he was seen visibly limping during his only practice following the injury. 

"I wanted to play," he said. "But they shut me down because they said I had that limp. They didn't want me to go out there and hurt myself more. I wanted to play, but I just couldn't."

Throughout 2021, neither Jackson nor the Ravens seemed concerned about negotiations or in any rush to sign an extension. It seems that's still the case on the first day of the team's offseason.