The Baltimore Ravens have a ton of work to do this offseason. For the first time in nearly two decades, they are searching for their next head coach. They fired John Harbaugh after a disappointing 2025 campaign, and in the two weeks since, they’ve interviewed 16 candidates for the opening.
While the team’s head coaching vacancy has taken all the spotlight, the situation surrounding two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson may be the biggest decision of all this offseason.
Owner Steve Bisciotti mentioned Jackson will have a lot of say (but no power), as they look to finalize a deal with their next head coach. While that’s a bright spot, he also needs an extension. His cap hit is set to skyrocket to $74.5 million this offseason. The front office cannot work with that kind of number, affecting their cap space.
While Bisciotti made it clear their top priority is to get a deal done with Jackson, the fact of the matter is that it’s easier said than done. It didn’t go all that well last time an extension was in the works, and after an injury-riddled year, some have started to speculate about Jackson’s future in Charm City.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently constructed a list of bold predictions from NFL executives for the 2026 offseason. Among those was a possible Jackson trade to the Las Vegas Raiders. Fowler wrote:
“This potential pairing has made its way through the rumor mill, and multiple people I spoke with who track such things used their one bold prediction in this exercise to designate Jackson a Raider.”
“From chemistry issues with the previous coaching staff to concerns about his availability, Jackson's relationship with the Ravens does not seem to be in the best spot. Baltimore probably realizes life with a two-time MVP is better than life without, which would mean a big contract offer is coming. But this is a situation to monitor, and how Jackson hits it off with the new head coach feels significant.”
Lamar Jackson trade would be the worst-case scenario for Ravens’ offseason
Baltimore cannot let this happen, and it more than likely won’t happen, either. The team’s front office will look to ensure Jackson gels well with his head coach before making the hire. While Bisciotti said Jackson has no power in the final decision on the hire, ultimately, the franchise should look to cater to him. Two-time MVP quarterbacks are once-in-a-lifetime type players, and they must satisfy Jackson's needs with a lucrative contract and a strong coaching staff this offseason.
In the case he were traded to the Raiders, Baltimore would almost surely net the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. While in most years, that would offer the chance of netting a franchise-altering player, this year’s draft is weaker than most. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is a fantastic player, but based on his prospect profile, he falls short of most number-one picks in recent memory. If the Ravens were ever even to contemplate a deal surrounding Jackson, there couldn’t be a worse time to make one.
A Jackson trade feels completely outside the realm of possibilities. However, with a ton of unknowns around his contract and the coaching staff, it shouldn’t come as a shock to the Ravens fanbase that speculation around trade possibilities is surfacing once again. Hopefully, Baltimore puts that to rest soon with a new deal.