Ravens Advised to Tread Lightly in Maneuvering Offseason Finances

The Baltimore Ravens have treated their operation with an all-or-nothing mentality over the last three years, parlaying Lamar Jackson's steady excellence into perennial mentions as NFL championship contenders. And though the Ravens have no rings to show for themselves under the 2x MVP's watch, they've spent the two prior regular seasons carving through their schedules before making their regularly disappointing exit from the playoff picture.

That hype crested this past summer after an offseason spent adding popular rookies and veterans to fill Baltimore's various roster holes, but here they stand on the other side of Week 18, outside of the postseason bracket.

THE NFL PLAYOFF BRACKET IS OFFICIALLY SET 🍿 pic.twitter.com/0k0YjmbT2Y
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 5, 2026

Now, it's time for the Ravens to make the sort of choices they'd grown used to mulling over during the playoffs. Some of their key contributors are expecting a payday now, and it's up to the front office to determine whether they'll remain aboard the ship or walk in favor of monetary flexibility.

Tyler Linderbaum isn't as flashy or as dominant within his position group as Jackson is, but he remains one of the better centers in the league even after a relative down-season. He earned a third-straight Pro Bowl appearance from his year-four efforts, stuck in damage control-mode for most of this past season after he was surrounded by subpar guard play all year long.

Now he, on top of the quarterback he was tasked with protecting, has shifted into watching how Ravens' management approaches respective extension talks.

Untangling Baltimore's Priorities

Linderbaum looks like the needier between the two after the team spent the previous season avoiding exercising his fifth-year option, but Jackson is set to command significantly more money. And according to ESPN's insiders, coming to a lower agreement than some have projected remains the squad's top priority heading forward.

"The Ravens will be extremely limited with what they can do in free agency if they don't lower Jackson's cap figure, which jumps to $74.5 million in 2026 (roughly 25% of Baltimore's cap)," Jamison Hensley wrote. "The team likely needs to sign him to a new contract, and the last contract talks with Jackson were challenging because he doesn't have an agent and represents himself."

Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson — Jan 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) walks to the field to play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

There have been little reports as to how the two sides have progressed leading into another round of likely negotiations. All we know is that he apparently hasn't begun thinking about a new deal since sustaining this past weekend's crushing 26-24 defeat, and that some outsiders are against the Ravens building around someone deemed "unreliable."

But he made a pretty compelling argument for Baltimore to pop open its checkbook in that loss, exiting the outing as one of the few Ravens to have played up to the moment. He totaled three aerial touchdowns on the night, and would be preparing for the Wild Card Round if Tyler Loop, his kicker, knocked in that final 43-yard attempt as time expired.

The fourth quarter of Ravens-Steelers was electric 🔥 @SNFonNBC pic.twitter.com/HBSmyvlMSj
— NFL (@NFL) January 5, 2026

Linderbaum's Leverage

The center may cost more than management is willing to pony up, but the cast he was surrounded with on the offensive line seemed to advertise how things can go from bad to worse for Jackson's protection. For his sake, let alone the team-builders who are already tasked with rebuilding both sides of the ball, they can't afford to lose someone as young and talented as Linderbaum.

"The Ravens declined Linderbaum's fifth-year option for the same reason the franchise tag likely isn't a possibility -- because all offensive linemen are the same in the eyes of the fifth-year option and the franchise tag, and applying either would make Linderbaum the highest-paid center by $4 to $5 million per year," Dan Graziano said. "They want to have Linderbaum back, but he has the leverage."

They're far from the only players of need to monitor entering the remainder of 2026, with other positional groups like the edge rushers and defensive backs requiring their own offseason tweaks, but some issues are more pressing for this front office. They'll need their best player in Jackson to return to their usual-winning ways, and that might mean coughing up some additional dough for his front lineman to get back on track.

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