Ravens' John Harbaugh on Lamar Jackson Contract: 'When He's Ready, We'll Be Ready'

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh isn't sweating the contract situation of star quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Appearing on the Rich Eisen Show (h/t ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio), Harbaugh said the Ravens will be ready to sign Jackson to a new deal if and when the quarterback is ready to agree to one:

"When he's ready to do it, it's going to become a priority for him, then we're gonna know it, you know? It doesn't have to be a priority for us right now. It's got to be a priority for both sides. We can do something, or we can wait. Because we know it's gonna get done when it's supposed to get done. Hey, when it's God's will and Lamar's will at the same time, it's gonna all fit together. I do believe Lamar when he tells me that, man, he just wants to be the best quarterback he can be, and that's what he's thinking about right now. He doesn't think he has to think about his contract. He feels like he's got time to do it. Yeah, you could argue that one way or the other. But everybody gets to make that decision for themselves. That's a great thing. That's his choice, not somebody else's. ... And when he’s ready, we’ll be ready. And when that happens, we’ll have something."

While Harbaugh suggested there is no sense of urgency, some type of decision will have to be made within the next year since Jackson is set to hit free agency at the conclusion of the 2022 campaign.

The 25-year-old Jackson's importance to the Ravens is undeniable, as he has earned two Pro Bowl nods and one First Team All-Pro selection in four seasons, only three of which were full campaigns as a starter.

Jackson took over as Baltimore's starter about midway through his rookie season in 2018 and went 6-1 down the stretch, leading the Ravens to the playoffs.

The following year, Jackson entered the elite ranks, as he went 13-2, threw a league-leading 36 touchdown passes and rushed for 1,206 yards and seven scores en route to being named NFL MVP.

His passing numbers dipped in 2020, but he still rushed for over 1,000 yards and took the Ravens to the playoffs for a third consecutive season.

Another playoff berth was expected last year, but several injuries to key players struck the Ravens in the weeks leading up to the start of the 2021 season, including running back J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards both being ruled out for the year.

Jackson had an up-and-down campaign, going just 7-5 as a starter and throwing 16 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions. He was once again dominant as a runner, however, rushing for 767 yards in 12 games.

Perhaps the biggest issue for Jackson in 2021 was staying healthy, as an ankle injury caused him to miss the final month of the season, resulting in Baltimore going 8-9 and missing the playoffs.

Multiple quarterbacks have set the market with megadeals over the past few years, including Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys and Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns.

One can only assume that Jackson would like for his contract to be in that same neighborhood given that he already has three playoff appearances and an MVP award.

A monster contract is possible, but if neither side is ready to make a long-term commitment, placing the franchise tag on Jackson ahead of the 2023 season and drawing out negotiations even further is the route Baltimore is likely to take.