Updated

Updated · NBC Sports · Jun 14

Mahomes' 8-Year, $63.093 Million-A-Year Deal Resets QB Market as Jackson Eyes $63.1 Million

Updated

Updated · NBC Sports · Jun 14

Mahomes' 8-Year, $63.093 Million-A-Year Deal Resets QB Market as Jackson Eyes $63.1 Million

Q: Is a blockbuster trade the Ravens' only escape from Lamar Jackson's looming $84 million cap hit in 2027?

No. A blockbuster trade is not the Ravens’ only way out of Lamar Jackson’s projected $84.3 million cap hit in 2027. The clearest alternative is an extension. That is the standard NFL solution when a star quarterback’s cap number spikes: add years, convert salary into bonus, and spread the charge over future seasons. The reporting around Jackson’s deal points directly to that path, with Baltimore expected to pursue a new contract rather than carry the full 2027 figure. A restructure is also possible, though it is usually tied to an extension when the cap number is this large. The Ravens already pushed money forward once, lowering Jackson’s 2026 hit and inflating 2027 to roughly $84.34 million. That bought time, but it also made another contract adjustment more urgent. A trade is only a fallback if talks collapse. It is more realistic now because the Ravens’ prior restructure made Jackson easier to move from a cap standpoint, and league sources have suggested a trade request is possible if he does not get a market-resetting deal. But it would still require Jackson’s approval because he has a no-trade clause, and his no-tag protection after the deal further strengthens his leverage. So the Ravens’ real choices are straightforward: extend him, restructure him again as part of a new deal, or trade him if negotiations break down. The preferred escape is an extension, not a blockbuster trade.

1 articles · Updated · NBC Sports · Jun 14

$63.093 million per year over eight seasons has given Patrick Mahomes a new top-of-market benchmark, immediately reshaping expectations for the NFL’s next wave of quarterback negotiations.
Lamar Jackson appears closest to testing that number: his $52.5 million average has fallen to the bottom of the top 10, and his no-tag clause plus $104 million left over two years give him leverage to seek at least $63.1 million annually.
Joe Burrow and Baker Mayfield face murkier paths, with Cincinnati reluctant to redo Burrow’s deal and Tampa Bay still far apart from Mayfield despite a potential 2027 franchise tag near $47.97 million.
C.J. Stroud, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and Bo Nix all become part of the next pricing wave, with several 2024 draft quarterbacks eligible for extensions after the 2026 season.
That sets up a broader race among teams and agents over who signs first, as Mahomes’ number becomes the reference point for both veteran renegotiations and second-contract talks.