Ravens Face Pivotal Offseason as Bisciotti Talks Lamar, Coaching Search, and Long-Term Vision
The Ravens are heading into one of their most important offseasons in recent memory, and team owner Steve Bisciotti isn’t shying away from the urgency of the moment. With Lamar Jackson’s cap hit set to balloon to $74.5 million in both 2026 and 2027, Bisciotti made it clear: a new extension for the franchise quarterback is a top priority - and the clock is ticking.
“I think he’s amenable,” Bisciotti said of Jackson, indicating that talks have already taken place. The goal?
Hammer out a deal that mirrors Jackson’s last contract, only with a slightly higher annual number. The structure would remain familiar, but the timing is critical.
Bisciotti doesn’t want to head into free agency with that kind of uncertainty looming over the roster.
“If he doesn’t want to do an extension, then we throw those $74 million out into void years,” Bisciotti explained. “That’s not what we want. We want another window, and Lamar knows that.”
That “window” is the key. With a roster still built to contend and free agency approaching fast, the Ravens need clarity at the top to shape the rest of their offseason plan. Bisciotti’s message to Jackson was simple and direct - let’s get this done now, so the front office can go to work building a championship-caliber team around you.
On the coaching front, the Ravens are also turning a page. The decision to part ways with longtime head coach John Harbaugh wasn’t taken lightly - and it wasn’t made by committee, either.
“I made the decision by myself,” Bisciotti said. “It was really the most difficult decision we made, but we made it.”
Harbaugh’s departure marks the end of a deeply successful era in Baltimore, one that brought a Super Bowl title and years of consistent competitiveness. But Bisciotti’s instincts told him it was time. Now, the search is on for the next leader of the Ravens - and Bisciotti isn’t putting any artificial limits on who that might be.
He’s open to hiring a former head coach, even one with a losing record, if the context of that coach’s previous situation makes sense. “We are going to be able to judge that failure with his circumstances,” Bisciotti said, pushing back on the idea that a poor win-loss record should automatically disqualify a candidate.
It’s a calculated approach - not just looking at the résumé, but understanding the story behind it. And Bisciotti believes the Ravens’ head coaching vacancy is one of the most attractive jobs available this offseason. With a strong roster, a proven GM in Eric DeCosta, and a franchise quarterback in place, the opportunity is clear.
“I think we created the best opening in this cycle,” Bisciotti said. “It’s not a tough job.”
That confidence extends to how he plans to support the next coach. Bisciotti hinted at a long-term commitment - possibly five or six years - if the right candidate is found. He doesn’t want to get caught in the cycle of churning through coaches every few seasons.
“To me, that’s hell on Earth,” he said. “We’re going to make it right, and we’re going to have a lot of patience.”
But patience doesn’t mean dragging things out. Bisciotti emphasized the importance of moving quickly - not just to name a new coach, but to give DeCosta and the front office the runway they need to attack free agency with clarity and purpose.
That urgency extends to Jackson’s contract as well. The Ravens want stability at the top before reshaping the roster in the new coach’s image.
Steelers Reeling After Tomlin’s Departure
Just down the AFC North, the Steelers are dealing with a seismic shift of their own. Mike Tomlin’s decision to step down as head coach caught the organization completely off guard - and the emotional impact has been profound.
“It felt like a funeral,” one staff member said. “I teared up. It’s like finding out your dad died.”
Tomlin was more than just a coach in Pittsburgh - he was a foundational figure, a steady hand who commanded respect in the locker room and throughout the organization. That’s why the news hit so hard. While there had been whispers of potential change, most inside the building believed Tomlin would return for at least one more season.
“We all thought at least one more year,” a player said. “We knew something was going to change. We just didn’t know it would be that.”
Even among the team’s veterans, there was no sense that Tomlin had lost the locker room. Quite the opposite. The belief in him - and in his leadership - remained strong to the very end.
“The guys that have been here longest, we don’t think that Mike T was the issue,” another player added. “We genuinely never lost the belief in the locker room. It was super emotional for us, because it’s not him.”
Now, the Steelers - like the Ravens - are entering a new era. But while Baltimore is focused on reloading around a star quarterback and a stable front office, Pittsburgh is left to process the end of one of the most consistent coaching tenures in the league.
The AFC North is shifting. And both Baltimore and Pittsburgh are at major crossroads. How they navigate the next few months will shape the direction of their franchises for years to come.