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With Lamar Jackson set to miss more time, it's very possible that he has played his last game for the Baltimore Ravens.
Jackson's latest injury is to his right hand and put the veteran on injured reserve, and with the Ravens currently in last place in the AFC North, Jackson could be done for the rest of the season. If that's the case, Jackson's contract status will take front-and-center, with the quarterback looking for a new deal in the offseason.
The last time Jackson signed an extension, his negotiation with the Ravens was difficult and led Baltimore to use the transition tag on him in free agency. This time around, as Jackson is older and coming off several injuries, his contract situation could be even tougher to predict.
Here's how Jackson contract status stands entering the offseason.
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Lamar Jackson contract
Jackson is currently in the fourth year of a five-year, $260 million deal, but there is a catch that could lead to the two sides moving on in the offseason. In 2027, Jackson is set to cost over $84 million against Baltimore's salary cap, and the Ravens releasing him would mean the team taking on over $74 million in dead cap.
One way or another, the Ravens need to do something about Jackson's contract so that the quarterback's cap hit doesn't bury the team. If the Ravens and Jackson can't come to terms on a new contract, Baltimore may be forced to either trade him or flat-out release him.
With Jackson's dead cap hit also exorbitant, it's much more likely that the Ravens would trade him, especially since Jackson is in his prime. It is also notable that Jackson has a no-trade clause in his contract, which gives the quarterback the power to choose his next team.
The Ravens could explore trading Lamar Jackson this offseason if the two sides fail to reach a contract extension, per @RapSheet. Jackson carries an $84.34M cap hit in 2027 and holds both no-trade and no-tag clauses, meaning he would have to approve any trade. Although, the Ravens remains optimistic about reaching a new deal to keep the 2x MVP in Baltimore for years to come.
— Ravens Nation 𝙇𝙄𝙑𝙀 (@LiveRavenNation) November 2, 2026In a possible trade, the Ravens would still take on a similar dead cap hit, but the team acquiring Jackson would only have him on a $52 million cap hit. While any acquiring team would probably want to work out an extension with Jackson, the contract would be reasonable enough for the team to have Jackson play out the end of the contract. However, the language in the contract means no team can tag him, which would make Jackson a free agent.
MORE: Why Ravens' Super Bowl hopes are doomed with Lamar Jackson injury
Will Ravens re-sign Lamar Jackson?
While the Ravens want to keep Jackson long-term, it's still up in the air whether they will be able to re-sign Jackson on a new deal. In January, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti told the media that he hoped to get a new contract done in the offseason.
"We want another window, and Lamar knows that," he said, via ESPN. "I think that he's amenable to doing something that mirrors the last deal he did, although the annual number will be a little higher. But I'm hoping that it's plug a new number in the same contract he signed last year and move on."
Of course, that didn't happen, making Jackson's future in Baltimore murky. While the Ravens want Jackson to stick around, the quarterback has historically been a tough negotiator, which could lead to the Ravens moving on and starting fresh.
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