Could Lamar Jackson want out of Baltimore? The Ravens’ franchise quarterback will be in the final year of his contract in 2027, and that means important decisions will need to be made after the 2026 season.
A former Ravens defensive back thinks Jackson may be on his way out of Baltimore, but could the eight-year veteran and former first-round pick really be ready to find a new team for his 10th year in the NFL?
Dominic Foxworth Warns That Ravens’ Lamar Jackson May Be On His Way Out of Baltimore
Jackson has been the Ravens’ starting quarterback since he entered the league in 2018, earning two MVP awards and three All-Pro honors.
In 2023, the veteran quarterback earned his first big extension after a franchise tag year, with a deal worth $260 million over five years.
The Ravens spread that cap space out over the timeframe so that it was less of a hit early on. However, that means there are some important decisions to be made in the coming years.
Jackson’s cap hit in 2026 is about $34.4 million. In 2027, that number more than doubles to about $84 million.
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During the last contract negotiation, the Ravens quarterback made sure a no-trade clause and a no-franchise tag clause were included, which means Jackson has a lot of power as decisions need to be made in the near future.
That’s why former Ravens defensive back Dominique Foxworth thinks Jackson could be on his way out of Baltimore.
“There is a VERY real chance Lamar Jackson isn’t a Baltimore Raven after this season,” ‘The Domonique Foxworth Show’ wrote on X.
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The former NFL DB then explained his thoughts about the situation.
“Lamar has the decision next year, and it seems like he orchestrated it,” Foxworth said. “Lamar has a no-trade and a no-franchise-tag clause, and a plus-$80 million cap hit… Great quarterbacks don’t become free agents, but normally they get to the end of their contract, and the team has some leverage in a franchise tag or some way to be able to start negotiations. Or, like Mahomes and Allen, they just renegotiate way ahead of time.
“The idea that Lamar has all that leverage headed into this season, and then a lot of changes were made.”
There is a VERY real chance Lamar Jackson isn’t a Baltimore Raven after this season 👀👀
“It feels like Lamar has put himself in an NBA-style situation where he can do what he wants at the end of the season…” – @Foxworth24 pic.twitter.com/cUNkQkgJke
— The Domonique Foxworth Show (@FoxworthShow) August 27, 2026
Foxworth added that the recent moves made by the Ravens are what’s led him to believe Jackson has all the power right now.
“It feels like he’s put himself in a very NBA-style situation where it’s like, ‘I can do what I want at the end of the season. So let’s get it right,'” Foxworth said about Jackson. “So that to me is huge because they’re not gonna cut him, but they also can’t exist with a player with an $80 million cap hit next year.
“At the end of the season, he can decide what he wants to do. If he wants to sign the extension, or if they offer him an extension he doesn’t like, be like, ‘All right, well, I’ll play for $80 million, or you trade me to exactly who I want to go play for. That’s huge.”
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In Jackson’s eight years in the league, he’s taken the Ravens to the playoffs six times. However, he’s 3-5 in those playoff games.
But there’s no denying the Louisville product is one of the 10 most talented quarterbacks in the NFL.
According to PFN’s QB Impact Metric, since entering the league, Jackson has ranked as a top-seven quarterback in four different seasons: 2019 (1st), 2020 (7th), 2023 (6th), and 2024 (1st).
Now he has a lot of power in what happens next.
