Lamar Jackson is the quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens. Honestly, if you follow the NFL even casually, that shouldn't come as a shock, but the context around his job right now is wilder than it has been in years.
It's January 2026. The Ravens are currently picking up the pieces after an 8-9 season that felt like a fever dream for all the wrong reasons. John Harbaugh, the guy who had been the face of the franchise for 18 seasons, is gone. Fired. It’s the end of an era. Yet, as the smoke clears from the coaching search, one thing is certain: No. 8 is still the man in the middle of the huddle.
But here's where it gets complicated.
The Lamar Jackson Contract Situation (Yes, Again)
You've probably heard this story before. Back in 2023, Lamar and the Ravens played a high-stakes game of chicken that lasted until April. He eventually signed a five-year, $260 million deal. Fast forward to today, and we are right back at the negotiating table.
Why? Because of a "cap spike."
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Under his current deal, Lamar’s salary cap hit for the 2026 season is scheduled to jump to a staggering $74.5 million. To put that in perspective, that’s about 25% of the entire team’s budget. You can't build a winning roster when one guy takes up a quarter of the pie.
Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti and GM Eric DeCosta aren't panicking, but they are moving with urgency. On January 13, 2026, Bisciotti made it clear: they want an extension done before free agency starts in March. The goal is simple: lower that $74.5 million hit by spreading the money out over more years.
Lamar, for his part, says he’s all in. In late December, he told reporters, "Absolutely, man. I don't even know where that comes from," when asked if he wanted to stay in Baltimore long-term.
Who Else Is in the Room?
If Lamar gets a "contusion" (which happened a lot in 2025) or needs a breather, who steps in? The depth chart has been a bit of a revolving door, but here is how the room looks right now:
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- Tyler "Snoop" Huntley: The fan favorite. After a brief stint in Cleveland, the Ravens brought him back in August 2025. He’s the ultimate "break glass in case of emergency" guy. In 2025, he actually started two games and won both, posting a career-high 103.1 passer rating.
- Cooper Rush: This was... not a great move. Eric DeCosta signed Rush to a two-year, $6.2 million deal last offseason. When he had to play in 2025, it was an "abject disaster," as some local beat writers put it. He threw zero touchdowns and three picks in about two and a half games of action.
- Devin Leary: The 2024 sixth-round pick is still hanging around the practice squad/reserve list, though he hasn't seen meaningful regular-season snaps yet.
What Really Happened in 2025?
People keep asking "who's the Ravens quarterback" because Lamar missed some time recently. It wasn't one major blowout injury, but rather a "death by a thousand cuts" situation.
A back contusion sidelined him. A hamstring tweak cost him three games. He even missed practice time for five straight weeks at one point. It was frustrating.
He finished the 2025 season with 2,549 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. Those are solid numbers for most humans, but for a two-time MVP, it felt "down." Specifically, his rushing was at a career low—only 349 yards on the ground. The explosiveness wasn't there.
Critics (and Mike Florio over at ProFootballTalk) have started whispering about trades to the Raiders or Dolphins. Let’s be real, though: Lamar has a no-trade clause. He also has a no-tag clause. He holds all the cards. If he wants to be in Baltimore, he’s in Baltimore.
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The New Era and Lamar’s "Power"
With Harbaugh gone, the Ravens are doing something they’ve never done: giving the quarterback a seat at the table for the coaching search.
Bisciotti said Lamar will have "a lot of say" in who the next head coach is. That’s huge. It signifies that the organization isn't just "stuck" with Lamar; they are doubling down on him. They are looking for a coach who can keep him healthy and bring back that 2019 or 2023 MVP spark.
The 2025 season was a disappointment, ending with an 8-9 record and a missed postseason. But the Ravens aren't rebuilding. They are "reloading."
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors
If you’re trying to keep track of the Ravens' QB situation moving forward, here are three things to watch over the next few weeks:
- The March 11 Deadline: This is the start of the new league year. If a contract extension isn't signed by then, the Ravens might have to use "void years" to manipulate the cap, which is a temporary fix that creates "dead money" headaches later.
- The Offensive Coordinator Hire: Whoever the new head coach brings in as OC will determine if Lamar returns to being a dual-threat weapon or continues to transition into a pocket passer.
- Tyler Huntley’s Free Agency: Snoop is a free agent this offseason. If the Ravens can't re-sign him, they are one Lamar ankle sprain away from having to rely on Cooper Rush again—and Ravens fans definitely don't want that.
Basically, Lamar Jackson is the Ravens' quarterback today, tomorrow, and likely for the next half-decade. The noise you're hearing is just the sound of a billion-dollar business trying to figure out how to pay its biggest star without going broke.
Keep an eye on the "ink on the paper" before the March free agency frenzy begins. That will tell you everything you need to know about the Ravens' Super Bowl window for 2026.