Lamar Jackson finds himself in another fortunate situation, where despite injury concerns, he could become the highest paid player in NFL history. Patrick Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl champion, currently holds the distinction with his eight-year, $504.7 million renegotiated deal.
According to Ravens Nation Live on X, on Baltimore is “willing to make Lamar Jackson the highest-paid player in NFL history, per @JamesPalmerTV.” That could draw the two-time MVP a contract between $550-600M.
An eight-year deal for Jackson would also bring him to age 37 by the end of the contract. How many games can they count on him being available after the age of 30? Jackson has had some solid passing seasons, even leading the league in TD passes once. Expecting him to elevate his game as his body breaks down isn’t logical.
With that being said, unless Jackson chooses to become a free agent, it would be hard for him to turn down a potentially $600M deal.
NFL Fans React: Lamar Jackson Could Become Highest-Paid Player In History
Lamar Jackson is a respected talent and online responses surrounding the dual-threat legend’s potential blockbuster contract were mostly fans imploring the Ravens to deliver a blank check to Jackson’s doorstep and allow him to name his price. With rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano mustering just 60 yards of aerial offense in a 33-10 thrashing at the hands of the Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday Night Football, fans had seen enough.
“Pay him whatever he wants,” one desperate fan said. “We are a poverty franchise without him.”
“It’s the Cavaliers without LeBron James,” a netizen said on X.
“Lamar will get a blank check,” one desperate Ravens fan said.
“Honestly dude, just give him the 8 billion dollar franchise,” one user agreed in the comments.
There were some fans who aren’t so sure that LJ8 is the future of the Ravens, for reasons that extend beyond his abilities. Team construction remains a problem and at a certain point you can’t put all of the money in one bank.
“Yes, let’s bankroll one player at one position when we have a dozen other areas of need on the team. Lamar won’t make it past five games next year with this offensive line,” one netizen quipped.
“The definition of insanity,” one user commented in response to reports of Lamar’s inevitable record bag.
“He’s more fragile than melting snow,” expressed another user.
“Highest paid bench player,” a netizen quipped.
Lamar Jackson Is Battling Injuries On Verge Of Record-Breaking Contract Once Again
Jackson, 29, injured his thumb on the first play of Sunday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills after missing the previous three games with a high left ankle sprain. The Ravens placed him on injured reserve this week, meaning he will miss a minimum of four games (and potentially more). His return is questionable and largely depends on whether or not the Ravens will be in playoff contention.
Jackson missed four games in the 2025-26 season, plus the playoffs. This season he has missed 3.5 games and counting. Skepticism concerning Jackson’s durability have surfaced once again as reports say the Ravens are prepared to give him the largest contract in NFL history.
Baltimore plans to revisit extension talks with Lamar Jackson in the offseason, and those negotiations could prove to elevate him to another financial stratosphere.
According to James Palmer of “NFL on Prime”:
“For the last two years the Ravens have been trying to get a long-term contract done with Jackson, and they keep pushing money down the road. Which is why we’re at $84 million in terms of a cap hit in 2027. They’d like this offseason — because they won’t negotiate during the [NFL season] with one another — to get a long-term contract done, and I’m told the Ravens are willing to have Jackson be the highest-paid player in NFL history. Now Jackson has a no-trade clause, he has a no-franchise-tag clause, and if he would like he could be a full-blown free agent after the 2027 season at the age of 31.”
Jackson missed 11 games due to injury or illness across the two seasons (five games in 2021 and six games in 2022) prior to signing his $260M record-breaking contract in April 2023. The Ravens finagled about guaranteed money, and potential injuries were their main concern. Public sentiment leaning heavily in Jackson’s favor, along with the winning culture that his talent brings, forced the Ravens to cave in to his demands.
Whether Jackson returns this season may ultimately come down to whether the Ravens have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs. That’s very much in question after his backup, Tyler Huntley, was also placed on injured reserve and reportedly suffered a season-ending turf toe injury.
The team has reportedly finalized a deal with veteran Jacoby Brissette, so we will have to see how he leads that offense.
Is Lamar Jackson worth $500M-$600M At this Point In His Career?
The bigger issue is the Ravens committing the largest bag in NFL history to a spectacular – but aging — quarterback who has yet to reach a Super Bowl. We don’t often hear of an aging quarterback with all of the hits Jackson has taken getting healthier later in his career. He’s got the Ravens between a rock and a hard place because Jackson at 80 percent is still better than most of the quarterbacks in the NFL. And a franchise signal caller is very hard to come by in the NFL.
So despite the health risks, Jackson will have all of the leverage with his next contract, and reports say the Ravens aren’t going to play hardball like they did with the last contract. The same concerns about Jackson’s health going forward, however, will remain.
