It’s the dawn of a new era for the Baltimore Ravens. Jesse Minter will take the reins, with Declan Doyle as his new offensive coordinator.
Lamar Jackson played the best football of his career under Todd Monken’s guidance, but as the best dual-threat quarterback in the game, his performances should be at the bottom of this team’s list of potential concerns.
That being said, Jackson’s situation is far from settled right now. He has yet to sign a contract extension, and with the team having conversion rights, they don’t need his permission to add void years to his contract or convert salary to signing bonuses. That could help them lower his cap hit by nearly $40 million, but getting an extension done would probably be better for both parties.
However, it seems like that’s not on the table right now. According to ESPN insider Dan Graziano, both parties aren’t close to an agreement yet, and since Jackson doesn’t have an agent, things could get a little messy.
Lamar Jackson, Ravens Aren’t Close to an Extension
“Jackson’s contract already has void years for 2028 and 2029, though, and Baltimore would prefer to do an extension and avoid dumping more cap charges into future years for which he’s not yet signed,” Graziano wrote. “Jackson still doesn’t use an agent, and that has led to some complications in these kinds of talks between him and the team in the past, so it’s hard to handicap the Ravens’ chances of getting it done.”
Jackson is signed through the 2027 season, but only $29 million of his contract is guaranteed for the remainder of the deal. He’s going to have a $74.5 million cap hit, so it’s in both parties’ best interests to get a deal done sooner rather than later.
Then again, negotiations with Jackson have been long and complicated in the past. Other teams will also try to poach in and inquire about his potential availability if they don’t reach an agreement any time soon.
The former MVP completed 63.6 percent of his passes for 2,549 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season, adding 67 carries for 349 yards and two rushing touchdowns.