Ravens' Lamar Jackson has one major reason to wait for contract extension

The Baltimore Ravens have a massive Lamar Jackson problem to attend to as soon as possible.

The former MVP didn't sign a contract extension before the team unilaterally restructured his deal, and he's looking at a massive cap hit in 2027 and free agency in 2028.

As such, Jackson has all the leverage to get the deal he wants, whether it's in terms of money or guarantees -- or both.

Considering that, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler suggested that Jackson may not want to sign a contract right now. Instead, he'd be better off waiting for his younger colleagues.

Lamar Jackson might want to wait before signing a new contract

"Baltimore wants to extend Jackson, a free agent in 2028. No major progress has been made yet, and some around the league wonder whether Jackson wants to wait until next offseason to up his value. The quarterback market could move during the 2027 offseason, with Drake Maye, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels eligible for new deals," Fowler wrote. 

The Ravens are stuck between a rock and a hard place. They backed themselves into this corner with Jackson by failing to agree to terms on a new contract before it was too late.

Now, they can try to trade him, give him the contract he wants or let him walk in free agency -- all while taking nearly $90 million in cap space next season. Clearly, neither option is ideal.

However, that doesn't mean Jackson doesn't want to be in Baltimore or that he's looking to force his way out of the team -- he's just making the most of his leverage.

And with at least three quarterbacks set to either reset the quarterback market or drive the floor significantly up, it makes sense to wait to maximize his value.