The Ravens want to sign Lamar Jackson to a new contract. That was already known, with owner Steve Bisciotti saying last month the team wanted to get an extension worked out before free agency.
On Tuesday at the Scouting Combine, General Manager Eric DeCosta wouldn't say where things stand in talks, but he did make clear he expects a deal at some point.
"Lamar and I have an agreement: We handle business kind of in-house internally, as you all know," DeCosta said. "That worked well for us the last time, and we will continue to have that policy moving forward. I have spoken to Lamar about a lot of different things over the last month. He's been very engaged. He was big value to us in the coaching search, but we'll continue those conversations moving forward."
DeCosta, though, did allow that he is confident in signing Jackson to an extension.
"I am. I am. I definitely am," DeCosta said.
Jackson will count $74.5 million against the salary cap in 2026 and 2027, so a new agreement would lower his cap number for this season. DeCosta, though, said that the start of free agency on March 11 is not a deadline. (A restructure would create $38 million in space.)
"I think we never have as much cap room as we would like to have, but we feel like we can start at the beginning of the new league year and conduct business," DeCosta said.
Jackson has a new coach, having sat in on the interviews with Jesse Minter and others. The quarterback also was in on the interviews for a new offensive coordinator, which turned out to be Declan Doyle.
At his introductory news conference last week, Doyle made clear he expects players to participate in the voluntary offseason work. Jackson has forfeited $1.5 million by not participating in the minimum number of voluntary practices the past two offseasons.
He may or may not attend this offseason.
DeCosta doesn't seem to care either way.
"You know what, those are voluntary," DeCosta said. " Lamar is a two-time MVP. I think he knows what it takes to get ready for the grind of the NFL season, and he's proven he can do it at a very, very high level, and I have no preference."