John Harbaugh updates progress with Lamar Jackson contract extension

The Baltimore Ravens have yet to make a commitment to Lamar Jackson on a long-term contract extension, but head coach John Harbaugh remains confident that a deal will come in the near future.

“I’m confident it’s gonna happen,” Harbaugh said, via ProFootballTalk. “Like you guys well know, until it happens it hasn’t happened but I’m confident it’s going to happen. I know he’s going to be our quarterback. Really when you’re coaching and you’re playing, that’s what you think about.”

Jackson has been a star ever since he was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, falling all the way to 32nd-overall pick. But the franchise has yet to reach an agreement with Jackson on a long-term extension, and he will presumably play out the last year under contract while talks are ongoing. If the two sides are unable to reach an agreement before the end of the year, the Ravens are able to use the franchise tag to keep Jackson in Baltimore.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta previously said it’s been an “unusual negotiation” with Jackson, his star quarterback, because Jackson does not have a traditional agent — in other words, he’s approaching Jackson directly for contract inquiries.

“Essentially, what DeCosta said, is we are ready when Jackson is. They’re going to go at his pace. What is interesting to me … is it doesn’t seem like Lamar Jackson, from my information, is in any rush at all,” Rapoport said in a previous report. “There’s a couple reasons. Just my read on the situation — we’ve seen players, Kirk Cousins is one, Dak Prescott is another, used the franchise tag and he sort of shoulder shrugged, like ‘maybe I’m not quite ready to make a deal yet,’ to use it as leverage to maximize their contract situation. Dak used it to get tagged, and eventually used it to get a massive deal. Kirk Cousins got a fully-guaranteed, monster contract. Potentially, that would be something that would be down the road for Lamar Jackson, if he continues to step back and go, ‘On track? Maybe not.’”

In just four years with the Ravens, Jackson has twice been named to the NFL’s Pro Bowl, once been named an All Pro and, in 2019, he was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player. But Jackson went down with an ankle injury in the Ravens’ Week 14 loss to the Cleveland Browns, and he was unable to return for the duration of the season.

Ultimately, the Ravens finished with an 8-9 record, squandering a strong start to the season by losing the final four games — all without Jackson — to the Green Bay Packers, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers. As late as Week 17, the Ravens had a chance, albeit a slim one, of making the NFL Playoffs, but despite Jackson returning to practice in a limited capacity in Week 16, he was unable to return and was limping throughout walk-throughs.