Pundit Projects Lamar Jackson's Next Contract
There have been no updates regarding a contact extension for Lamar Jackson, but one thing is clear: Jackson's next contract is likely to make him the league's highest-paid player.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox projected a three-year, $181 million deal for Jackson. That comes out to $61.3 million per year, which would top Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's $60 million average annual salary.
Reigning MVP Matthew Stafford agreed to a one-year, $55 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Rams last week.
"Stafford joins a group of top-tier quarterbacks — one that includes Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, and Jordan Love—who are all making $55 million annually," Knox wrote. "That rate appears to be the current NFL ceiling. … At some point, a quarterback is going to push through the $55 million apron and actually top Prescott's deal. Lamar Jackson, a two-time MVP, could be just the one to do it."
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.
General Manager Eric DeCosta reiterated last month that contract extension talks with Jackson will remain private, but he did express optimism about Jackson's future in Baltimore.
"I am confident Lamar will be here. I'm excited about it," DeCosta said on 105.7 The Fan. "I think he loves the team, he loves the city, he loves our fan base. And when I think of the Ravens, I think of Lamar Jackson being on the field."
Chris Simms Says Ravens Are Deserving AFC North Favorites, But Peter Schrager Sees Bengals Becoming Trendy Super Bowl Pick
The Ravens are heavy favorites to win the AFC North crown after an underachieving 2025 season, and NBC Sports’ Chris Simms believes the oddsmakers have it right.
"I'm not shocked by that at all," Simms said. "Everybody else [in the division] has questions. That's the big thing. I understand the Ravens being clearly in the leader house. … When you see the Ravens' schedule, it's very favorable for them to start out 5-1, 6-1."
The Cincinnati Bengals, not the defending division champion Pittsburgh Steelers, have the second-best odds to finish first in the AFC North.
The Bengals haven't made the playoffs since 2022 and are coming off a 6-11 season. Burrow has missed 16 games due to injury over the past three seasons, including nine games last year.
"I know Joe Burrow said this is the most talented team [the Bengals] have had since he's been there. I found that surprising because they went to a Super Bowl, and the year after, they were probably better," Simms said. "Offensively, I can certainly hear them saying that. Defensively, I have to see it to believe it. I expect them to be better than last year. There were moments last year when they were historically bad."
Not everyone agrees with Simms' assessment of the AFC North. Several pundits have picked the Bengals to win the division, and ESPN's Peter Schrager predicted that Cincinnati is going to gain steam as a Super Bowl contender in the coming months.
"Just wait for August. This is going to be the trendy pick for the Super Bowl for a lot of people out of the AFC," Schrager said on "Get Up." "Not only did they spend the fourth-most in the free-agent market, which is not Bengals football, this offseason, [but they also] bring back 11 starters on offense, an offense that was high-flying when Burrow was in there.
"All the turnover within the division – Ravens, Browns, Steelers, all with new head coaches – the Bengals seem to be the stable situation."
Ravens Rank Near Bottom Third in Rest Differential This Season
While the general consensus is that the Ravens have a favorable schedule, a closer look indicates that there's at least one category that could put them at a disadvantage.
Sharp Football Analysis looked at rest differential, which measures rest disparity. A rest edge is the number of extra days a team has to rest and prepare for their game over their opponent.
The Ravens' rest differential is -3 days, which is tied for 21st. The Chicago Bears have the best rest differential at +15.
"Having a rest edge does not mean you're easily going to win a game, nor does a rest disadvantage mean you're going to lose," Warren Sharp wrote. "But it's a factor, and it matters to teams."
The Ravens face two teams coming off a bye: the Bengals at home in Week 7 and the Buffalo Bills on the road in Week 8. Nearly half the league (15 of 32 teams) does not have a single game against a team coming off a bye, per Ravens Wire’s Glenn Erby.
