The Ravens have restructured the contract of franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson to create salary cap room for the 2026 season, General Manager Eric DeCosta confirmed on Wednesday.
DeCosta said the Ravens "ran out of time" to agree on a contract extension with Jackson before the start of free agency this week.
"[We] were able to free up, I think, just under $40 million this year, added a void year to 2030, I believe," DeCosta said. "We're certainly hopeful that we'll get an extension done. I think it's important to both parties. But we remain to see what's going to take place in the future."
The Ravens will continue to work on extending Jackson's contract, which is a top offseason priority to provide additional salary cap space and flexibility to make future transactions. DeCosta said the restructure does not make getting an extension done any more difficult.
The restructuring helps the Ravens be cap compliant with recent moves, such as Wednesday's reported signing of defensive end Trey Hendrickson.
With the restructure, Jackson's 2026 salary cap figure of $74.5 million is reduced to $34.54 million, and his 2027 cap figure moves from $74.5 million to $84.49 million, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
DeCosta expressed his preference to keep further contract conversations between him and Jackson private.
"I've said this a million times, Lamar and I are not going to talk about the negotiation aspect of our relationship," DeCosta said. "I'm going to stand by that."
