Competency is underrated. A handful of teams have franchise quarterbacks. Several teams have playoff-caliber star power. But few teams are capable of recognizing when they have something good and doing everything in their power to hold onto it.
The Baltimore Ravens already made quarterback Lamar Jackson the highest-paid player in the sport in 2023. Just two years later, he’s eligible to be extended again. While it may seem early to ask for another extension, Jackson isn’t off base.
Since Jackson earned his big payday, nine quarterbacks have signed extensions for more average annual value (Over the Cap).
Thus, Baltimore may soon return to the negotiating table. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta recently foreshadowed another Jackson extension coming down the chute.
"We've had some conversations before the draft, after the draft, in person last week," DeCosta told Jerry Coleman on the “BMore Baseball Podcast.” "I think we're in the introductory sort of stage of looking at what an extension might look like."
The right details may still be in the works, but it should be rather simple. Jackson, soon enough, will be the highest-paid player in the sport once again. He could very well pass the $60 million mark that Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott set ahead of the 2024 campaign.
His current deal is worth five years and $260 million. The biggest obstacle in inking Jackson long term (again) might be the talent already on the roster.
"We've got a lot of business that we're conducting with different players," DeCosta said. "We're in a situation where we're blessed to have most of the team coming back, but as we look out over the next two, three, four, five years, we're trying to keep as many good players as we can. We've got some guys that we feel like have a chance to really be prolific players for us that can be here a long time. We're trying to get as many of those guys signed up as possible. That's a big challenge, and Lamar's certainly a big part of that."
A deal isn’t imminent, and with multiple years left on his deal, the situation isn’t particularly urgent. Jackson may stand to gain from waiting even longer for more stars to get paid.
In either event, the number on Jackson’s next deal isn’t something for Ravens fans to be worried about. He’s a superstar with no signs of slowing down playing the sport’s most important position. Pay him what he wants and try to win a Super Bowl.
