NFL insider shares new warning for Ravens amid Lamar Jackson contract situation

Just lately, Baltimore Ravens reporter Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic made it identified he was optimistic that the membership and star quarterback Lamar Jackson will come to phrases on a contract extension earlier than the 2026 season will get underway. 

Months earlier than Zrebiec provided that replace, a March story claimed that Ravens common supervisor Eric DeCosta was “having hassle getting” Jackson “to reply his telephone and” work out an extension. For a Sports activities Illustrated article printed on Thursday, NFL insider Jason La Canfora hinted that DeCosta is not any nearer to locking Jackson down than the chief was within the closing days of winter. 

Is Lamar Jackson “operating out the clock” amid contract saga?

“DeCosta has grumbled some publicly and on a regular basis privately concerning the problem they’ve getting Jackson, who represents himself, on the telephone and engaged in contract talks,” La Canfora wrote. “So when he’s in your constructing for weeks on finish, and also you get nowhere with him at this extremely pivotal time, after which he’s again to touring and going to Miami after which reporting for camp in soccer mode (which might imply no extra contract talks), then he simply may be operating out the clock and checkmating this entrance workplace once more.”

Jackson’s present deal prevents the Ravens from buying and selling him with out his consent or retaining his rights for 2028 by way of the franchise tag. In the meantime, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs star
Patrick Mahomes lately reset the marketplace for gamers on the place when he inked a reworked settlement that gave him a brand new common wage of $64M.

The notion has existed all through the primary half of 2026 that Jackson will wish to grow to be the league’s new highest-paid participant each time he indicators his subsequent deal. 

Has window closed for Ravens to signal Lamar Jackson to contract extension?

“If [the Ravens] didn’t wish to give Jackson roughly $250M assured previous to all of this, they usually didn’t love $60M a season, then negotiating off of Mahomes now making $64M a 12 months from 2027 on isn’t going to assist their trigger,” La Canfora added. “…The Ravens missed a necessary window a 12 months in the past when Josh Allen obtained his long-term extension. DeCosta sloughed it off on the time and mentioned he would have way more work to do the next offseason. Effectively, coaching camp is coming quick, and this offseason is getting skinny, and the perfect time to get an viewers with Jackson – particularly in particular person – ended final week with none main developments.”

In fact, Jackson might signal an extension at any time that his contract calls for are met by DeCosta. If such a deal is not agreed upon earlier than Week 1 of the common season arrives, nonetheless, questions on Jackson’s long-term future will develop solely louder and hover over the Ravens into the autumn.