The Ravens have their head coach locked in. Now comes the bigger question: how long will they have their quarterback?
Lamar Jackson holds a rare kind of leverage in today’s NFL. He’s under contract for two more seasons, but thanks to a no-tag, no-trade clause, he’s got the kind of control most quarterbacks dream of. If he wants, he can simply play out the deal, collect $104 million over the next two years, and hit free agency in March 2028 - with no strings attached.
That timeline matters. By 2028, the Dolphins will have cleared the financial fallout from the Tua Tagovailoa contract, potentially opening the door for a quarterback-needy team with cap space to make a run at Lamar.
But that’s a long way off. Right now, the Ravens are focused on the present - and specifically, on whether they can extend their franchise quarterback before free agency opens this offseason.
Team owner Steve Bisciotti has made it clear: he wants to get a new deal done. From Jackson’s side, the goal is just as clear - climb the pay scale.
He currently sits 10th among the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks. A new deal could vault him to the top.
Think five years, $287 million - that’s about $61 million per year in new money. That’s the kind of number that would reset the market.
But if the two sides can’t come to terms, the Ravens have options. They can restructure Jackson’s current deal to lower his massive $74.5 million cap hit in 2026, though that would mean pushing more money into future years - a classic cap maneuver that can come back to bite teams down the line.
Then again, there’s always the possibility of a blockbuster trade. If a team comes calling with a can’t-say-no offer - and has the cap space and commitment to sign Lamar long-term - the Ravens would have to listen. And if Lamar is open to the move, willing to waive his no-trade clause, then the conversation changes entirely.
But beyond the contract and cap math, there’s another layer to all this - Lamar’s role in the Ravens’ coaching decisions. Baltimore just hired a new head coach, a first-timer with a defensive background. That’s a bold move, especially when you’ve got a franchise quarterback who’s been the face of your offense - and your franchise - for years.
Bisciotti has said he wanted Lamar involved in the coaching search. What we don’t know is whether that actually happened - or how Jackson feels about the hire.
That matters. We’ve seen what can happen when a star quarterback feels ignored in key organizational decisions.
Just ask the Texans how things unraveled with Deshaun Watson back in 2021.
If Jackson didn’t have a voice in the process - or if he disagrees with the direction the team is heading - that could turn into a problem. And that’s why the next hires are so important.
The Ravens still need to bring in an offensive coordinator and a quarterbacks coach. Those decisions will shape the offense and, in many ways, the future of Lamar’s relationship with the team.
All eyes will be on Jesse Minter’s introductory press conference. The questions asked - and the ones dodged - could offer clues about where things stand with Jackson behind the scenes.
And then there’s the wildcard: Lamar himself. He hasn’t said much publicly.
But if he ever decides it’s time for a change, he has the tools to make it happen - subtly or not. A cryptic tweet, a carefully worded interview, or even just letting the clock run out on his deal without an extension - all of it would send a message.
Bottom line: Lamar Jackson is in control. He can wait it out and test the open market in 2028.
Or he can push for a record-setting extension now. Either way, the Ravens are on the clock - and the next few months will be critical in determining whether this franchise-quarterback marriage continues into the next chapter, or starts heading toward a split.