Ravens get fresh Lamar Jackson warning as start of 2026 season approaches

While the Baltimore Ravens reportedly "want" to lock quarterback Lamar Jackson down to a lucrative contract extension before the 2026 season gets underway, he remains on his existing deal that prevents Baltimore from trading him without his consent or retaining his rights via the franchise tag after the 2027 campaign.

During a recent edition of his "The Domonique Foxworth Show," the former NFL player and current analyst shared a new warning for the Ravens regarding Jackson's future. 

Lamar Jackson "has all that leverage" in contract talks with Ravens

"Lamar has the decision next year, and it seems like he orchestrated it," Foxworth explained, per Douglas Santo of Pro Football & Sports Network. "Lamar has a no-trade and a no-franchise-tag clause, and a plus-$80M cap hit… Great quarterbacks don't become free agents, but normally they get to the end of their contract, and the team has some leverage in a franchise tag or some way to be able to start negotiations. Or, like [Patrick Mahomes] and [Josh Allen], they just renegotiate way ahead of time. The idea that Lamar has all that leverage headed into this season, and then a lot of changes were made."

Earlier this month, one report suggested that Jackson may be in line for a fully guaranteed extension worth up to $275M to commit his future to the Ravens. However, he also could wait and then reset the market for players at the position in 2027. 

That said, a recent bombshell report claimed that New York Jets owner Woody Johnson may already be dreaming about pairing former Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin with Jackson next year. A different story said Tomlin allegedly wants "to receive a piece of the team from" Johnson and "would entertain the possibility of returning to the sidelines in 2027."

Ravens have millions of reasons to make Lamar Jackson happy soon

"It feels like he's put himself in a very NBA-style situation where it's like, 'I can do what I want at the end of the season. So let's get it right,'" Foxworth added about Jackson. "So that to me is huge because they're not gonna cut him, but they also can't exist with a player with an $80M cap hit next year. At the end of the season, he can decide what he wants to do. If he wants to sign the extension, or if they offer him an extension he doesn't like, be like, 'All right, well, I'll play for $80M, or you trade me to exactly who I want to go play for. That's huge."

NFL insider Jason La Canfora of Sports Illustrated recently said that Jackson has "made it abundantly clear he is 'cool' playing this contract out," is "betting on himself" and believes "he can't really lose." That makes it sound like Jackson isn't in a hurry to put pen to paper on a deal before Week 1 of the regular season arrives.