Lamar Jackson's return against the Buffalo Bills from a three-game absence after a high ankle sprain was very short-lived -- one offensive play, to be exact. The Baltimore Ravens quarterback injured his thumb in Sunday's 36-10 loss to the Bills when his right hand hit edge rusher Greg Rousseau on the follow-through of a pass attempt. Jackson is out indefinitely after being placed on injured reserve as his right thumb requires surgery.
The potential season-ending thumb injury raises questions about Jackson's future in Baltimore. Jackson is in the fourth year of a five-year deal that made him the NFL's highest-paid player at the time, with $52 million per year after being designated as a non-exclusive franchise player. During the 2027 contract year, Jackson is scheduled to earn an unsecured $52 million, consisting of a $51.25 million base salary and a $750,000 workout bonus.
His salary cap number is $84.34 million. More importantly, Jackson's contract contains a no-trade clause and another provision preventing the Ravens from designating him as a franchise or transition player when his contract expires following the 2027 season. The $84.34 million cap hit is untenable.
It is 2027's second-highest number behind Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes' $90.35 million, which will surely be lowered through a contract restructure. The Ravens have an NFL-high $366.74 million in 2027 cap commitments with 45 players under contract and a little less than $1.4 million in existing 2026 cap space that can be carried over to the 2027 league year, according to NFLPA data. The salary cap for 2027 should be between $322.5 million and $327.5 million, considering comparable growth after a 7.88% increase between 2025 and 2026.
So, where does Jackson's contract currently stand, and what could be ahead? Jackson seemingly controls his own destiny because of his contract situation. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti wanted to extend Jackson's contract prior to the start of the 2026 league year in March.
There are reports that Jackson, who represents himself and has never had an agent, was the hold-up. Instead, with a deal not done, the Ravens resorted to the backup plan. Jackson's contract was restructured to create $39.96 million of much-needed 2026 cap room, with a dummy/voiding 2030 contract year added for bonus proration purposes.
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