BOMBSHELL RUMOR: Lamar Jackson Blockbuster Trade Talks EXPLODING After Ravens Miss Key Deadline – Is He Gone?!

Is Lamar Jackson on borrowed time in Baltimore?

Lamar Jackson trade speculation is picking up again after a key deadline passed.

It’s been a chaotic week for the Baltimore Ravens and their fans, to say the least. On Tuesday, the AFC North club stunned everybody by nixing the Maxx Crosby blockbuster trade they had in place with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Baltimore then pivoted to Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson, signing the former Cincinnati Bengals star to a four-year contract worth $112 million.

While the Ravens were wreaking havoc with the Crosby saga, some may have missed an important deadline on the Lamar Jackson contract front. The two sides could not reach an extension before the new league year began on Wednesday, and Jackson is only signed through the 2027 season.

Jackson has a no-tag clause in his contract. As Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio explains, Jackson’s future in Baltimore is suddenly a question mark:

“With the preferred window for a new deal slammed shut — and with players like Isaiah Likely, Tyler Linderbaum, and Patrick Ricard gone for new teams — the Ravens’ urgency may seem to be diminished. But here’s the reality. With Jackson representing himself, he’ll eventually return his focus to football.

The can may get kicked to 2027. And if a new deal isn’t done before the start of the next league year, the final countdown toward Jackson’s first shot at unrestricted free agency will begin. (He has a no-tag clause in his current deal.)

He’s right about that. There are two outcomes for the Ravens: They get a new deal done with Jackson, or he makes $104 million ($102.5 million if he doesn’t show up for enough of the offseason program in 2026 and 2027) or he hits the open market in less than 24 months.”

Remember, Jackson requested a trade from the Ravens in the 2023 offseason. But after tense back-and-forth contract negotiations, he eventually signed a five-year deal worth $260 million.

2026 Is A Critical Year For Lamar Jackson & The Ravens Franchise

Lamar Jackson (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

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The Ravens fired legendary head coach John Harbaugh after missing the playoffs with an 8-9 record. If that didn’t put Jackson and Baltimore’s other core players on notice, then what will?

Baltimore has been a regular-season juggernaut since Jackson’s rookie year in 2018. But they’ve only won three playoff games under the two-time league MVP’s guidance, never advancing past the AFC Championship Game.

If things go sideways for the Ravens under new HC Jesse Minter in 2026? Don’t be surprised if it leads to a split with Jackson.