CBS Sports projects what a new deal for Ravens QB Lamar Jackson could look like

The Baltimore Ravens have seen the topic of a potential new deal for quarterback Lamar Jackson become one of the biggest storylines of the 2022 offseason. Many have different opinions on the matter, but at the end of the day any extension is going to come from the hard work of the Baltimore organization as well as Jackson and his team.

When projecting what a new contract for Jackson could look like, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports dove into everything surrounding the circumstances of a potential deal between Jackson and the Ravens. He settled on a four-year, $186 million extension, which comes out to $46.5 million per season. Benjamin explained that the contract would allow him to hit t free agent again once he turns 29 or 30.

“All in all, we’d expect Jackson to presently command something like $46.5 million per year on a new deal. Call it a four-year, $186 million contract that makes him the NFL’s second-highest-paid QB behind Aaron Rodgers ($50.2M) and allows him to revisit the market between ages 29-30. The Ravens, meanwhile, would avoid having to restart at QB and secure one of the NFL’s top-five signal-callers in terms of pure athletic ability, hoping to maximize their title chances in that window.”

Jackson has been expected to command north of $40 million per season for a long time, but new quarterback contracts such as Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson and Matthew Stafford have once again reset the market, as well as the increasing salary cap.

With each day that passes, it appears more likely that Jackson will wait to negotiate an extension until after the 2022 season. He’s been benefiting from so many big-money deals being handed out to players at his position, including the fully-guaranteed $230 million contract given to Watson by the Cleveland Browns. If the Ravens’ signal-caller can have a phenomenal 2022 season followed by a deep playoff run, he could earn himself an additional large chunk of money.