Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti provided a timeline on when he'd love to get Lamar Jackson's contract extension done.
The Baltimore Ravens have a ton on their plate as the 2026 offseason progresses. They've endured a ton of changes already in the form of a brand new coaching staff, and they have some big decisions to make in the coming weeks.
Many of their top players are set to hit the open market, but one other item on the agenda they need to focus on is the contract extension with superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Jackson is currently under a five-year, $260 million contract that runs through 2027. He signed the deal in April 2023. However, an extension or restructuring is essential as his 2026 cap number is slated to be an unsustainable $74.5 million.
The two sides realize this, which is why they are actively negotiating to manage the cap hit this upcoming season. It's a matter of when, not if, and Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti provided a timeline for when that contract extension could come.
NFL insider Ari Meirov shared that Bisciotti shared that he wants to get a deal done before free agency.
NFL free agency is set to begin on March 11, less than two weeks from now.
Bisciotti is confident that they'll get a deal done, and so is general manager Eric DeCosta. While speaking to the media at the NFL Scouting Combine, DeCosta said they will keep contract talks in-house.
"Lamar and I have an agreement [that] we handle business kind of in-house internally," DeCosta said on Tuesday. "That worked well for us the last time and we will continue to have that policy moving forward. I have spoken to Lamar about a lot of different things over the last month. He's been very engaged. ... We'll continue those conversations moving forward."
"I think we never have as much cap room as we'd like to have, but we feel like we can start at the beginning of the new league year and conduct business," DeCosta when asked if Jackson's situation is the big domino to the Ravens' offseason.
The Ravens can create $30 million in cap space if they can get a restructuring going.
Jackson has proven to be a winner under center for the Ravens. He has a 76-31 record, which is a 61 percent winning percentage, as well as 1870 completions, a 64.8 percent completion percentage, 187 touchdowns, and a 102.2 passer rating.
The only thing missing for the former Heisman trophy winner is a Lombardi Trophy. If the Ravens and Jackson get an extension done, Baltimore can pull the right levers to get the 28-year-old his Super Bowl roster.