With Lamar Jackson’s contract situation looming large heading into the offseason, Ravens coach John Harbaugh spoke Thursday about the team’s desire to continue shaping the roster around the star quarterback.
Harbaugh addressed Jackson’s future during a press conference alongside general manager Eric DeCosta, and made it clear he still envisions the 26-year-old as a major part of Baltimore’s plans. Jackson, who notably played the season on the last year of his rookie deal, remains without a new contract coming off a season where he missed the last six games of the year, including the postseason, with a knee injury.
“100 percent, 200 percent, there’s no question about it: Lamar Jackson is our quarterback,” Harbaugh said. “Everything we’ve done, in terms of building our offense and building our team, how we think, in terms, of putting people around him is based on this incredible young man and his talent and his ability.”
Harbaugh also noted that he has “every faith” that the Ravens and Jackson will agree to terms on a new deal.
Baltimore (10–8) faced tough sledding to finish the ’22 campaign after Jackson went down with a knee injury early in a Week 13 win over the Broncos. Led by backups Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown, the team finished the regular season 2–4 to make the playoffs before eventually losing to the Bengals in the wild-card round on Sunday.
While it remains to be seen how the latest contract talks will play out, Jackson’s return to the Ravens, or his eventual departure for a new team, could also come with continued questions surrounding his injured knee. The former MVP recently made headlines after he shared an update on his health prior to the Ravens’ wild-card game against the Bengals, tweeting that he suffered “a PCL grade 2 sprain on the borderline of a strain 3” and that his knee remained “unstable.”
Prior to his injury, Jackson completed 62.3% of his throws for 2,242 yards and recorded 17 touchdowns in 12 starts while also rushing for 764 yards and three touchdowns.
