Ravens' Harbaugh: Lamar will be highest-paid player after extension

Lamar Jackson is going to get paid.

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh believes Jackson will be the highest-paid player in the league when the team eventually gives him an extension.

"Sooner or later, it's going to have to happen. When Lamar gets paid, he's going to be (the) highest-paid player in football," Harbaugh said Monday, according to The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec.

Harbaugh noted the Ravens have held internal discussions about a new deal for the quarterback. He hopes the team will also extend star running back Derrick Henry, whose contract expires next year, per Zrebiec.

Jackson signed a five-year, $260-million contract in May 2023, making him the league's highest-paid player at the time in average annual salary at $52-million. He's now ninth, with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott taking the crown with $60 million per year.

Jackson's cap number jumps from $43.5 million in 2025 to $74.5 million in 2026, according to Over the Cap. Harbaugh emphasized Jackson is the most valuable player in the league and should be paid as such until retirement.

The 28-year-old was named MVP in 2019 and 2023 and was the runner-up in 2024. He led all quarterbacks in passing and rushing yards per play in the 2024 regular season, throwing for 4,172 yards and running for 915. He also threw for 41 touchdowns and four interceptions.

The Ravens have struggled in the playoffs, with Jackson never winning multiple contests in a single postseason. He owns a 3-5 record in the postseason, most recently losing to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in the AFC divisional round in January.