Lamar Jackson's Baltimore Exit May Be Looming
Lamar Jackson's future with the Ravens is uncertain due to his declining performance and a potentially significant organizational shakeup.
Lamar Jackson's tenure with the Ravens could be finished. A back injury sustained in Baltimore's 28-24 loss to New England has sidelined the quarterback this week as the Ravens prepare for a must-win matchup against Green Bay on Sunday. If they lose—and their playoff hopes evaporate mathematically—there's little incentive to risk Jackson in a meaningless Week 18 game against Pittsburgh.
The stakes run deeper than a single game. Should the Ravens lose out and post their first sub-.500 season since 2021, wholesale organizational changes could follow. Head coach John Harbaugh could be fired. Jackson could be traded. It's been 13 years since Harbaugh captured a Super Bowl championship with Joe Flacco. Despite regular-season success with Jackson, the pairing has failed to deliver a ring.
The Contract Problem
Dismantling this duo won't be simple. Harbaugh signed a three-year extension in March worth $17 million annually and carries a hefty buyout. Jackson has two years remaining on his five-year deal at $51.2 million average value—a salary that no longer reflects his on-field performance. Trading him would likely fetch far less than it once would have.
Yet the Ravens may have no choice. Harbaugh has been bested by Sean McDermott, Andy Reid, and Zac Taylor in each of the last three playoff runs. Jackson doesn't look like himself anymore. After missing three games with a hamstring injury earlier this season, he's completed just 59.8% of his passes, thrown eight touchdowns and five interceptions, and averaged a mere 21.8 rushing yards per game—the element that defines his game.
A Diminished Threat
Nearly two months removed from his hamstring recovery, Jackson has struggled to scramble at his former elite level. His mobility—the foundation of his ceiling—has eroded. Without the ability to torture defenses with his legs, he becomes predictable and one-dimensional.
An eight-week sample is sufficient for any franchise to question whether Jackson has entered a new phase of his career. The cap hit of $74.5 million for each of the next two seasons is too steep to simply cut him loose. A trade would likely return pennies on the dollar.
The question now: Do the Ravens make a move?
