Can the Ravens extend Lamar Jackson and sign a No.1 receiver, too?

Can the Ravens extend Lamar Jackson and sign a No.1 receiver, too?

The Ravens are reportedly exploring a contract extension with Lamar Jackson this offseason, but the team’s No.1 priority should be to land a No.1 wide receiver for Jackson, ESPN’s Jamison Hensley wrote.

“The main scenario for the Baltimore Ravens this offseason is whether they are going to sign a mega-contract extension with quarterback Lamar Jackson that would net him over $ 40 million per season,” Hensley wrote. “The best shot the Ravens can make is not to invest in Jackson right now, but to invest around him, starting with a No.1 wide receiver like Allen Robinson.”

The trend has been for teams to extend their franchise shifts early in their rookie contracts. Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes and Houston Texans Deshaun Watson signed overtime ahead of their fourth season in the NFL. Next season will be Jackson’s fourth.

As reported in yesterday’s Late for Work, the consensus among pundits is that the Ravens need to improve their passing offense, which placed last in the league during the regular season, if they are to get past the playoffs.

In addition to Robinson, major receivers expected to hit the free agent market include Kenny Golladay, Chris Godwin, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Will Fuller IV. The question is whether it’s possible for the Ravens to extend Jackson and sign a No.1 receiver this offseason.

“The Ravens are expected to have $ 23.6 million in caps, but a big chunk of that will likely go to increases for Jackson and [tight end Mark] Andrews, “ESPN’s Bill Barnwell wrote.” Their transient attack is already about to get a lot more expensive, but they may have to go out of their way and spend even more to bring in the kind of receiver that can do the trick. Jackson difference. “

The Ravens have built a roster that’s arguably as talented as any other in the league, and one of the reasons they’ve been able to do that is because their franchise quarterback starred on his rookie contract. (Jackson won $ 1.3 million this season). The days of this luxury are rapidly shortening.

“We’re probably still a year early for the closing speech, but there’s no doubt it’s coming and going quickly,” wrote Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec.