The question of whether Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will get a new contract before the 2022 season was answered on Friday.
Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta said that talks on a new deal have been shelved until after Jackson wraps up his fifth NFL season. There are a lot of directions things could go once the Ravens and Jackson get to that point and the failure to reach an agreement now will lead some to doubt whether that will happen at any point, but head coach John Harbaugh said at a Friday press conference that he still believes that a long-term deal will be struck.
“I think all the feelings you would expect that anybody would have you probably have,” Harbaugh said. “Probably not for me as much because I wasn’t directly involved in any back and forth. You’re hopeful. Those things will work themselves out in the end, I’m confident in that. I said at the beginning, that’ll happen when it’s time and when it’s time it’ll happen. Lamar’s playing quarterback, he’s going to be playing quarterback here for a long time. He and I talked about it yesterday a little bit, like ‘OK, let’s go be our best and go focus on football.’ That’s what he’s been doing all along. I know nothing will change with that and just focused on Sunday.”
Sunday brings a road game with the Jets and the first of at least 17 highly scrutinized performances that will set the stage for some big decisions next offseason.