Insider Reveals Baltimore Ravens’ Timeline for Signing Lamar Jackson to Long-Term Deal.

When Lamar Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, it marked a turning point—not only for Jackson’s career but for the franchise as a whole. After months of tense negotiations and speculation, Jackson bet on himself, negotiated his own contract without an agent, and came out with a record-setting deal. However, despite the size of that contract, insiders now reveal the Ravens may already be planning to restructure or extend it—with a clearer timeline emerging as the team looks to lock down their franchise quarterback well into the next decade.

Setting the Stage: Lamar Jackson’s Importance to Baltimore

Lamar Jackson isn’t just the face of the Ravens franchise; he’s one of the most electrifying players the NFL has seen in the past 20 years. With two MVP awards, countless highlight-reel plays, and a style of quarterbacking that redefined the position, Jackson is the engine behind everything Baltimore does on offense.

Since being drafted in 2018, Jackson has amassed over 15,000 passing yards, more than 5,000 rushing yards, and 150 total touchdowns. More importantly, he has led Baltimore to multiple playoff appearances and kept the team competitive even in the face of injuries, roster turnover, and changing offensive coordinators.

The Current Contract: A Breakdown

Jackson’s current deal, signed in April 2023, pays him an average of $52 million per year. It includes:

• $185 million guaranteed at signing
• A $72 million signing bonus
• Cap hits that escalate significantly in 2026 and 2027
• No-trade and no-tag clauses, ensuring Jackson’s control over his future

At the time, it made Jackson the highest-paid player in the NFL by annual average, until deals for Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert surpassed it later that year.

Now, just two years into the deal, team insiders are leaking that Baltimore’s front office is already thinking ahead.

Insider Sources Speak Out

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, sources within the Ravens organization believe 2025 will be a key year for extension talks. While Jackson’s current contract technically runs through 2027, Baltimore reportedly wants to avoid waiting until the final year to renegotiate—a lesson learned from the tension leading up to his last deal.

Why so soon?

• Cap Management: Jackson’s cap hit will balloon from $22 million in 2025 to over $74 million in 2026. Restructuring or extending the deal now could smooth out those hits and give the Ravens more flexibility in signing other key players.
• Market Trends: With players like Caleb Williams and C.J. Stroud expected to reset the QB market in the next few years, locking Jackson in before the price tag climbs again could save millions.
• Franchise Stability: Head coach John Harbaugh and GM Eric DeCosta want to build a championship-caliber roster around Jackson, and having cost certainty beyond 2027 helps enormously with planning.

When Will the New Deal Be Signed?

Sources indicate that early talks could begin as soon as the 2025 offseason, with a formal extension likely sometime between training camp 2025 and the end of the 2026 season.

In fact, several executives around the league believe the Ravens will look to extend Jackson by the end of the 2025 regular season, especially if the team makes another deep playoff run or wins the AFC North.

An ideal scenario, one insider explained, would be to mirror what Kansas City did with Patrick Mahomes—lock up their star early, create flexibility with the cap, and build long-term continuity.

Projected Terms of the Extension

While no official numbers have been released, projections suggest that a Jackson extension could look like:

• 6 years, $360–400 million total
• $250 million guaranteed
• Front-loaded signing bonus to spread cap impact
• Voidable years to allow flexibility

That kind of deal would likely push Jackson’s annual average into the $60–65 million range—putting him right back at the top of the quarterback market.

Why the Extension Matters Now

Several critical decisions hang in the balance as the Ravens weigh their future with Jackson:

1. Roster Building

Baltimore has stars entering or already in contract years: linebacker Roquan Smith, tight end Mark Andrews, safety Kyle Hamilton, and breakout receiver Zay Flowers. Being able to push Jackson’s cap hit lower through a new deal would allow the team to keep their core intact.

2. Offensive Identity

New offensive coordinator Todd Monken helped unlock more balance in Baltimore’s attack in 2024. With Jackson committed long-term, the team can continue to evolve the playbook, tailoring it specifically to his strengths—both as a passer and a runner.

3. Avoiding Uncertainty

The last negotiation with Jackson got public and messy. The team wants to avoid repeating that scenario, especially given the fact that Jackson, as his own agent, has full control over his negotiating terms.

Jackson’s Viewpoint

Publicly, Lamar Jackson has remained focused on football. In multiple press conferences, he’s declined to speculate on future contracts, saying, “That’s not my focus right now. I’m here to win.” But those close to him suggest that he is open to negotiating early—as long as the terms reflect his performance and value to the team.

As one teammate put it, “Lamar’s all about business. He doesn’t need to prove anything to anybody anymore, but he’s smart. If they come correct, he’ll listen.”

How It Compares Around the League

Other elite quarterbacks have faced similar early-extension windows:

• Patrick Mahomes signed his 10-year deal just three seasons into his rookie contract.
• Josh Allen extended two years before his deal expired.
• Joe Burrow locked in before training camp 2024.

It’s clear that top-tier franchises are moving earlier to secure their franchise QBs—and Baltimore appears ready to follow suit.

Ravens Fans React

For Ravens fans, the idea of locking up Lamar Jackson even further into the future is both exciting and reassuring. Social media buzz surrounding the potential extension has been largely positive, with many calling him “the greatest Raven of all time.”

Some are even advocating for a “Mahomes-style” lifetime deal, with one post reading:

“Lamar IS the Ravens. Give him whatever he wants.”

Of course, others caution that the team must still be smart financially, especially with so many young players needing extensions in the coming years.

While it’s still early in the 2025 offseason, the writing is on the wall: the Ravens want Lamar Jackson to be their quarterback for the next decade or more. Insider reports are shining a light on the front office’s desire to move quickly and avoid the friction that marred earlier contract negotiations.

If all goes according to plan, expect Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens to agree on a long-term extension by the end of the 2025 season—setting the stage for a new era of dominance in the AFC.

The real question isn’t if it will happen—it’s when.