Femi Ayanbadejo Predicts When Lamar Jackson Will Sign Contract Extension
A contract extension for Lamar Jackson will be a hot topic until there's a resolution.
Jackson, who is his own agent, and General Manager Eric DeCosta keep their negotiations private, so the media and fans can only speculate about what the future holds.
Jackson has two years remaining on his contract, and his salary cap number jumps to $84.34 million next year after the Ravens restructured his contract in March to create salary cap space.
"The encouraging sign has been Jackson's attendance at the team's offseason workout program and first minicamp, both of which are voluntary," ESPN’s Jamison Hensley wrote. "Jackson skipped most voluntary workouts in the past."
It was also encouraging that DeCosta recently expressed optimism about Jackson's future in Baltimore and noted that the two-time MVP is excited about working with new Head Coach Jesse Minter and new Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle.
Former Ravens fullback Femi Ayanbadejo of 105.7 The Fan weighed in on the subject and predicted when a deal will get done.
"My personal opinion is LJ will re-sign during the 2027 offseason," Ayanbadejo wrote on X. "Lots of new people and systems. LJ rushes into nothing. He's locked in. Wins solves everything."
Ayanbadejo relayed that he spoke with Jackson a couple of weeks ago at a National Thoroughbred League (NTL) event in Laurel, Md., and observed that he is in a good place.
"I got to talk to Lamar for about five minutes. His energy – mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally – he just seems like he's locked in," Ayanbadejo said on 105.7 The Fan.
In a feature story on Minter’s first 100 days as the Ravens’ head coach, The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec revealed that Minter, who has been traveling back and forth on weekends to visit his family still back in Los Angeles, also traveled to Florida with Doyle to meet with Jackson.
"He and Doyle meeting Jackson on his home turf was a strong start and Jackson has shown his buy-in by being a fixture for the voluntary workout program," Zrebiec wrote.
Pundit Gives Ravens Surprisingly Low Offseason Grade
The consensus is that the Ravens are having a strong offseason, from shrewd free-agent signings to nailing the draft.
Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski begs to differ. He gave the Ravens a "D" grade for their offseason performance.
"It's difficult to look at the Baltimore Ravens and say they're a better team today than they were last season," Sobleski wrote. "John Harbaugh was ousted after 18 seasons and 12 postseason appearances. Jesse Minter is an ideal DNA match for the franchise, but he has to prove himself as an NFL head coach and organizational leader.
"Three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum left in free agency. Baltimore's first-round pick of guard Vega Ioane will help offset Linderbaum's departure, but the rookie's inclusion doesn't completely rectify the situation."
Sobleski argued that outside of signing All-Pro pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, "the Ravens did little to seriously upgrade their roster." Hendrickson was considered by many to be the top free agent on the market.
Sobleski is overlooking the additions of defensive lineman Calais Campbell, safety Jaylinn Hawkins, and guard John Simpson. He also didn't mention any other members of the Ravens' 11-player draft class, which has received high marks from pundits.
As for Minter being unproven as a head coach, that's obviously true. But there's a reason Minter was the most sought-after coach of this hiring cycle, and he is highly regarded by his peers and players.
While there is still some work to be done, most notably finding a starting center, there's ample reason to believe the Ravens have gotten better this offseason.
The oddsmakers agree, as the Ravens have the second-highest Super Bowl odds.
"The expectations are what they've been," ESPN's Troy Aikman said. "You expect Lamar to be in the MVP conversation and you expect the Ravens to be right there at the end of the day, which they typically have been.
"I don't think anything changes. They didn't make that change [at head coach] expecting any kind of rebuild or slowed development as a football team."
Keaton Mitchell Was 'Shocked' Ravens Didn't Tender Him
The Ravens' decision not to tender restricted free-agent running back Keaton Mitchell this offseason not only surprised fans, but it also came as a surprise to Mitchell, who subsequently signed with the Los Angeles Chargers.
"I was shocked. I ain't gonna lie," Mitchell said in a media session earlier this week. "I can't even describe it, for real."
Mitchell didn't remain a free agent for long. He said the Chargers called "like 20 seconds" after he hit the open market.
"My agent told me, 'They want to get you on a Zoom right now,'" said Mitchell, who signed a two-year deal reportedly worth $9.2 million.
Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz was the Ravens' Director of Player Personnel when Mitchell signed with Baltimore as an undrafted free agent in 2023. Mitchell, who played for John Harbaugh the past three seasons, will now play for his brother, Jim.
When a reporter brought up that the Ravens will play the Chargers this season, Mitchell smiled and said: "I know that. And it's [in Baltimore]. I'm pretty sure it's still love from the fans. It's going to be fun."
Mitchell joins a running backs room that includes 2025 first-round pick Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal.
Mitchell averaged an NFL-high 8.4 yards per carry in six games in 2023, but a late-season knee injury ended his rookie year and cost him the majority of the 2024 season. He had 341 rushing yards and one touchdown on 59 carries in 13 games in 2025 after being a healthy scratch in the early part of the season.
As noted in Late for Work on Monday, DeCosta explained why the Ravens didn't tender Mitchell during an appearance on 105.7 The Fan.
"He was going to make over $3 million this year, based on the restricted free agency system, the tender," DeCosta said. "Not a real special teams guy. A talented space runner. He's not necessarily the most dynamic pass-catching back. And he's not a pass protector. He's a runner. He's a really, really skilled running back. But then it becomes, well, would you rather have Derrick [Henry] on the field or Keaton?
"These are hard choices to make because he's a great dude and he's an awesome talent."
