Lamar Jackson Won't Get Extension Before Season Opener — SkimNews
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- Lamar Jackson has not engaged in substantive long-term extension talks with the Baltimore Ravens and no deal is expected anytime soon, league sources told ESPN, as the two-time MVP focuses on the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts.
- Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti has publicly said he wants Jackson back and is willing to make him the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history, with many around the league believing Jackson could become the NFL's first $70 million-per-year player.
- Jackson is in the fourth year of a five-year, $260 million contract that included $185 million guaranteed and runs through next season, while his salary cap hit jumps to $84.3 million for 2027.
- The Ravens are projected to be roughly $40 million over the salary cap for the 2027 season, making a Jackson extension one of the most logical ways to create relief.
- Jackson said "winning it all" would define a successful 2026 season, but the 29-year-old is the only active player with multiple MVP awards to not win a Super Bowl.
- Jackson owns a 76-31 (.710) regular-season record as a starter since entering the NFL in 2018 — the second-best mark among starting quarterbacks — but is just 3-5 in the playoffs.
Why it matters: Baltimore's willingness to pay a record-setting deal hasn't moved talks forward, and Jackson's preference to table negotiations means the Ravens will likely carry an $84.3 million cap hit in 2027 while already projected to be $40 million over the cap, creating an unavoidable financial squeeze that owner Bisciotti has warned will hurt his ability to retain free agents.
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