Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said Monday that there’s “certainly a chance” that quarterback Lamar Jackson could sign a long-term extension this offseason.
In a season-ending news conference, DeCosta indicated that he planned to talk with Jackson within the next 10 days. Coach John Harbaugh said last week that the Ravens want to sign Jackson to an extension, and that he was “totally certain” it would happen, though he acknowledged a 2021 deal was possible.
Jackson, who, because of a concussion, has not addressed the media since before the team’s AFC divisional-round loss to the Buffalo Bills, is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, along with other third-year players like tight end Mark Andrews and tackle Orlando Brown Jr. The Ravens have moved quickly on extensions in previous years, signing safety Chuck Clark in the February after his third season.
Jackson’s extension is expected to be the richest deal in franchise history, and would make him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes signed a 10-year extension worth up to $503 million in July, and Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson agreed to a four-year, $156 million contract extension in September.
“We’ve got a great relationship,” DeCosta said Monday of Jackson, who struggled at times this season after being named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2019. “He’s got a great relationship with this organization. He’s a very easy person to talk to and certainly deserves a contract. He has played phenomenal football over the last couple of years, and our intention, and my intention, is to keep him in Baltimore for many years.”
