Ravens GM confident in getting Lamar Jackson deal done, and he needs to be right

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has two years remaining on his contract and that means it is starting to become time for some talks on a new deal. General manager Eric DeCosta said on Wednesday that he is confident a new deal will get done before next March.

It is important for him and the Ravens that he is right about that.

Ravens general manager better be right in his confidence on new Lamar Jackson contract

The Ravens' previous contract negotiations with Jackson were a little rocky, and at one point the star quarterback even publicly requested a trade before a new deal was ultimately agreed to. At the time it made him the highest paid player in the NFL, but his contract has since dropped him down to 11th in the league as more of the league's top stars have signed new deals since. 

DeCosta acknowledged that negotiations with Jackson are a little different because he does not have an agent and handles his contracts himself. 

From ESPN:

"We've been in this position before," DeCosta said. "I think it's just communication, right? Lamar and I have a great relationship and we talk. That's what it really amounts to -- communication."

There better be a lot of communication between now and next March, because if the Ravens enter the final year of Jackson's contract with no new deal in place it is going to create a lot of potential headaches for the organization, especially as it might lose a lot of leverage in the situation.

Jackson's current contract contains a no-trade clause as well as no-tag clause, meaning the franchise tag would be off the table for the offseason following the 2027 season. 

The no-trade clause also means that Jackson would have all control over where he goes in a potential move if the Ravens decided they could not sign him, or did not want to meet his asking price. That would put significant limitations on what they could do, and could leave them in a position where they would risk losing him for nothing. 

The good news for the Ravens: They have been through this before and seem determined to get a deal done. They also do not have to have it done just yet. 

Jackson is one of the best players in the league and is the engine that makes everything about the Ravens offense (and team) run. He is also a three-time first-team All-Pro and a two-time MVP winner, and while he will be 30 years old when his next contract is signed, he should still remain one of the top players in the league for the foreseeable future.