The Baltimore Ravens have chosen their quarterback to potentially ride out the 2026 season. What happens after that is a bit more complicated.
With Jacoby Brissett traded to the Ravens, Baltimore chose a cheap-but-experienced option to stabilize an injury-riddled season. He also isn’t any kind of threat to a Lamar Jackson extension, which continues to be the best avenue to resolving an $84 million cap charge that is hanging over the 2027 season. One way or another, that’s going to have to be dealt with by the Ravens. But the choice also isn’t entirely in the hands of the franchise.
Lamar Jackson has leverage. He also has a history of using it throughout his football career.
I joined Robert Mays on The Athletic Football Show to dig into the Ravens’ immediate plans and ponder how the team’s future will be calculated within them. It includes a look back to a piece I wrote about Jackson earlier this week. We also took a look at potential trade suitors and how Jackson can name his own market … or simply ride out his contract and hit free agency in 2028. Make no mistake, this is going to be one of the biggest stories of the offseason and potentially beyond.
Robert and I also examined a trade market for Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, which is shaping up nicely. The Minnesota Vikings and New York Giants are worth watching, given that their quarterback calculations are arguably just as important as a Taylor acquisition. The roster window for both those franchises matters, especially when you consider the cautionary tale illustrated by the Colts in 2025 with a regrettable trade deadline blockbuster for Sauce Gardner.
Among other topics? How the Colts’ Josh Downs has become the focal point of the wide receiver search for several franchises, plus the availability (or unavailability) of Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Brian Thomas Jr. and Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack.
You can watch the full conversation below. As always, thank you for supporting NFL Blue Book. If you’re enjoying the work, please pass it along to a friend.