Ravens' Jackson Contract Blunder Threatens Franchise

0:00It's April 7. I'm Corey with The Story, and this is NFL News Today for Ball News, Powered by AI. The Baltimore Ravens' biggest blunder right now is failing to lock up Lamar Jackson with a new contract. From last spring to this one, they've made zero progress on a fresh deal. Instead, they just converted his maximum salary into a bonus to ease the cap hit shoving $85 million out to 2027. That move leaves Jackson with insane leverage. Just to his no-trade clause and no franchise tag protections. The team rolled with a young coaching staff, let key offensive players walk and skipped extensions for rising stars, all while Jackson stayed quiet at the scouting combine. Insiders are shaking their heads, saying it's rare for a quarterback of his caliber to hit the next to last year of his deal without something new in. Place. One better negotiator. Pointed out they've handed over every bit of leverage, making a trade even simpler if he wants out.

1:00Now, with voluntary spring practices starting, there's no extra incentive for Jackson to show up, and Chatter says he's not sweating it after. Back to back MVP seasons. The Ravens risk wasting time before the draft, when they could flip him for 2026 assets. As the QB market skyrockets, Baltimore's delays are costing them big, putting the whole franchise direction on thin ice if they don't pivot fast.