Ravens Fail to Extend Lamar Jackson Before Deadline

GM says team "ran out of time" on new deal before 2026 league year

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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The Baltimore Ravens were unable to reach an agreement on a contract extension with quarterback Lamar Jackson before the start of the 2026 NFL league year. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said the team "kind of ran out of time" to get a new deal done, but remains hopeful they can reach an agreement in the future.

Why it matters

Lamar Jackson is entering the final year of his current contract, and the Ravens were hoping to lock him up long-term before his $74.5 million cap hit for 2026 became an issue. The inability to get an extension done before the deadline means the Ravens will have to restructure Jackson's deal to lower his cap number for the upcoming season.

The details

The Ravens had been in negotiations with Jackson on a contract extension, but were unable to finalize a new deal before the start of the 2026 league year on Wednesday. Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said the team "kind of ran out of time" to get the extension done, as they needed to lower Jackson's $74.5 million cap hit for the 2026 season.

  • The 2027 season is the final year on Lamar Jackson's current contract with the Ravens.

The players

Lamar Jackson

The starting quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens, who is entering the final year of his current contract.

Eric DeCosta

The general manager of the Baltimore Ravens, who spoke about the team's inability to reach a contract extension with Lamar Jackson before the 2026 league year.

Steve Bisciotti

The owner of the Baltimore Ravens, who said in January that his goal was to have Lamar Jackson signed to a contract extension by now.

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What they’re saying

“We kind of ran out of time in terms of needing the number down before the league year began, but we remain hopeful that we can get something done in the future.”

— Eric DeCosta, Ravens General Manager (nbcsports.com)

“It's important to both parties to reach the finish line in talks about a new deal.”

— Eric DeCosta, Ravens General Manager (nbcsports.com)

What’s next

The Ravens will likely resume contract extension negotiations with Lamar Jackson in the near future, as they need to address his $74.5 million cap hit for the 2026 season.

The takeaway

The inability to reach a contract extension with Lamar Jackson before the 2026 league year deadline highlights the challenges the Ravens face in keeping their star quarterback long-term. The team will need to restructure Jackson's deal to lower his cap number, but remains hopeful they can still reach an agreement on a new contract in the coming months.