NFL Exec: Ravens-Lamar Jackson Contract Standoff Could Get ‘Interesting'

The Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson are currently at an impasse when it comes to contract negotiations.

It was speculated the team could trade the two-time MVP earlier in the offseason, but after Baltimore fired head coach John Harbaugh, it seems the team is committed to keeping Jackson around long-term.

However, an anonymous NFL executive recently told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that Jackson could do what he did back in 2023 and demand a trade if he feels the Ravens aren't being genuine in their contract talks.

"Last time [in 2023] it seemed like talks were going nowhere and then a deal seemed to pop out suddenly," the executive said. "This one has a chance to get really interesting again, especially if he has a big year and ups his leverage."

Why It Matters

Jackson is set to hit free agency after the 2027 season. And fortunately for him, he has a clause in his contract that prohibits the Ravens from franchise-tagging him, meaning he has more leverage than Baltimore currently does.

At $52 million per season, some would argue that Jackson is underpaid relative to his counterparts. Cincinnati's Joe Burrow and Buffalo's Josh Allen both make $55 million annually, and Jackson should be on pace to surpass that number with his next deal.

The problem is the Ravens may not want to dish out that kind of money, and some are convinced they want Jackson to give them a hometown discount. And as a highly regarded NFL agent recently told NFL insider Jason La Canfora, Jackson could absolutelty demand a trade if his demands aren't met.

"A trade demand would absolutely be on the table if I was advising Lamar," an anonymous NFL agent told La Canfora. "I'm not coming in with it, but I'm coming in with a very firm hand and I'm not putting up with any of their [expletive]. And if it's not done before training camp, we're done talking.

"It's pretty simple – and Lamar did a great job with this before, although the right agent could have earned that 1.5% (commission) and got it done sooner. You are giving us a significant increase on the (Dak) Prescott deal. That's not even a discussion. We are asking for 100% guarantees, again, and not wavering … And, yes, we are absolutely willing to play that trade demand card."

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 7:35 PM.