Before the 2025 season begins, the Baltimore Ravens “would love” to extend their deal with standout quarterback Lamar Jackson.

As the 2025 NFL season inches closer, all eyes in Baltimore are once again focused on the franchise’s most electrifying and indispensable player — Lamar Jackson. After a 2024 campaign that reaffirmed his place among the league’s elite quarterbacks, Jackson enters 2025 with the momentum of an MVP-caliber year behind him and a roster poised to contend. But with only two years remaining on the five-year extension he signed in 2023, the Ravens’ front office is already thinking ahead.

According to multiple league insiders, the Ravens “would love” to extend Jackson’s contract again before the 2025 season kicks off. The motivation is clear: lock down a transcendent talent before the market resets — again — and continue building around the face of the franchise.

Last season, Jackson delivered one of his most efficient and complete performances since his 2019 MVP breakout. He threw for 3,980 yards, 29 touchdowns, and just 7 interceptions while rushing for over 800 yards and adding 6 more scores on the ground. His play helped the Ravens secure the AFC North title and return to the AFC Championship Game for the first time since the 2012 season.

While the Ravens fell short against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, the season as a whole left little doubt about Jackson’s value. He has matured as a passer, navigates pressure with poise, and remains one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in football. He’s no longer just a highlight-reel athlete — he’s a cerebral leader who has fully grasped offensive coordinator Todd Monken’s evolving scheme.

Lamar Jackson still has two years left on his current deal — a five-year, $260 million contract signed in April 2023. That agreement includes $185 million in guarantees and pays him an average annual value of $52 million.

But with Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Jalen Hurts already resetting the market — and Caleb Williams and C.J. Stroud likely to do so in the near future — the Ravens are aware of the ticking clock. Jackson’s next extension, if he continues playing at this level, could demand a deal north of $65 million per year.

“Every time a young superstar signs a new deal, the bar gets raised,” said a senior Ravens executive anonymously. “Lamar knows his worth. We know his worth. We’d love to get something done before things get even crazier.”

Baltimore has historically preferred to be proactive with its franchise cornerstones. They extended Ronnie Stanley early, rewarded Marlon Humphrey before his fifth year, and made Roquan Smith the highest-paid inside linebacker in the NFL just months after trading for him. They rarely gamble with future cap inflation when it comes to elite talent.

Importantly, the interest appears mutual. Jackson, who represented himself during the previous contract standoff, has found comfort in his current role with the organization. He has more creative input in the offense, enjoys a strong rapport with head coach John Harbaugh, and is heavily involved in mentoring younger players — particularly quarterback prospects and wide receivers.

“There’s nowhere else I want to be,” Jackson said during locker room cleanout in January. “I love this city, this team, this locker room. I came here as a kid. We’ve grown a lot together. I feel like I still have a lot to accomplish in purple and black.”

Such words aren’t just for the cameras. Jackson’s body language, day-to-day leadership, and the respect he commands from teammates all reflect a player who has embraced the role of franchise cornerstone.

One model the Ravens could follow is the Patrick Mahomes approach in Kansas City. Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million deal in 2020, then restructured portions of it in 2023 to better reflect his market value and help the Chiefs with cap flexibility.

Baltimore could pitch Jackson a similar hybrid structure — one that adds several more years to his deal, offers additional guarantees, and front-loads cash to reflect his standing among top-tier quarterbacks. In return, the team would gain cap certainty and continuity at the game’s most important position.

Mahomes has already spoken highly of Jackson’s game, and the two have developed a quiet rivalry as perennial MVP candidates. The Ravens would be wise to follow the Chiefs’ playbook in securing their franchise face beyond 2027.

With the NFL salary cap expected to explode past $300 million by 2026 thanks to burgeoning media and streaming deals, teams are reconsidering how long they wait to extend quarterbacks. Players like Stroud, Brock Purdy, and Williams will soon be in line for deals that could eclipse even Jackson’s 2023 agreement.

Locking Jackson in at a revised rate now — before those newer contracts land — could save the Ravens tens of millions down the line. It also gives the front office clarity on how to structure future contracts for key players like Zay Flowers, Kyle Hamilton, and Tyler Linderbaum, all of whom will be seeking extensions before 2026.

The other key benefit of a Lamar extension now is that it reinforces the organizational commitment to building around his unique strengths. Unlike some QBs who can thrive in any scheme, Jackson’s game is best suited to a tailored offensive philosophy that leans on motion, option concepts, and vertical threats who can extend plays.

General manager Eric DeCosta has slowly reshaped the roster around those elements. The Ravens drafted Zay Flowers, signed Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor, and brought in tight end Isaiah Likely as a dynamic pass-catching complement to Mark Andrews.

Monken’s offensive scheme opened things up for Jackson, but it’s clear that continued investment in skill-position depth is vital. A long-term deal gives Baltimore the flexibility to plan that roadmap more effectively and signal to free agents that Jackson is a permanent fixture.

Already the most statistically prolific quarterback in Ravens history, Jackson is quickly entering the territory of all-time greats. He holds the franchise record for most touchdown passes (134), most rushing yards by a quarterback (over 5,000), and is 61-21 as a starter in the regular season.

Yet, for all his individual brilliance, there’s still one glaring omission: a Super Bowl ring.

Jackson has made it clear that winning in Baltimore is his top priority. “MVPs are cool. Stats are cool. But I want what Ray [Lewis] and Ed [Reed] and Flacco had — that Lombardi,” he said during the Pro Bowl festivities. “That’s what it’s all about.”

The Ravens are equally committed to that vision. Extending Jackson now not only provides financial security for their leader — it sends a message to the entire locker room that championship windows don’t stay open forever, but the right quarterback can keep them propped open longer than anyone else.

Of course, there are challenges. Jackson’s playing style, while electrifying, still carries an increased injury risk due to his frequent rushing. He’s missed nine games over the last three seasons due to minor injuries, though none were deemed long-term concerns.

Additionally, there’s the matter of guarantees. Jackson fought hard in 2023 for a deal that included significant guaranteed money — and he’ll almost certainly demand similar protection in any new agreement. The Ravens, who are conservative with fully guaranteed contracts, must balance risk with reward.

Yet, with the NFL’s revenue engine booming and quarterback salaries ballooning, the greater risk may be waiting.

Talks are expected to accelerate after OTAs and into training camp. Jackson has traditionally avoided negotiating during the regular season, so a July-August window would be the most logical time for a deal to materialize.

If an extension is agreed upon before the season opener, Jackson could enter 2025 not just as a top-tier MVP candidate, but as the highest-paid player in NFL history — at least for now.

For Baltimore, it would be a fitting reward for a player who has redefined the franchise’s identity, transformed the city’s expectations, and brought Ravens football back to national prominence.

The Baltimore Ravens find themselves at a familiar crossroads — the kind where ambition meets reality and loyalty meets market forces. They know what they have in Lamar Jackson: a generational talent, a leader, and a quarterback uniquely suited to win in today’s NFL.

With mutual interest already on the record and the financial stars aligning, the time to act is now. Before the 2025 season begins, the Ravens would love nothing more than to secure their future — and their dreams of hoisting another Lombardi — by keeping Lamar Jackson in purple and black for the long haul.