Lamar Jackson missed his third consecutive game Sunday due to an ankle injury, sidelined as the Baltimore Ravens fell to the Cincinnati Bengals, 35–13, marking their second straight loss.
Jackson was inactive for the Bengals game after suffering the ankle injury Oct. 4 during a home victory against the Titans. Backup Tyler Huntley led the Ravens to a win at Atlanta before Baltimore lost to Cincinnati and then to AFC North rival Cleveland. The Ravens' record dropped to 4–3.
The losses intensify pressure on contract negotiations between Jackson and the franchise. Jackson is in the fourth season of a five-year, $260 million deal signed in 2023, which made him the NFL's highest-paid player at the time. His deal now ranks 12th in average annual value around the league and runs through 2027. Without an extension, Jackson enters the 2027 offseason with just one year remaining on his contract.
Jackson represents himself in negotiations, an approach that can compress talking windows during the season when his focus is on playing. His previous contract talks were protracted and included a public trade request in 2022, which prompted the NFLPA to file a collusion grievance. The grievance alleged that Jackson, Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray were unable to secure fully guaranteed extensions. The NFL and its teams prevailed in that grievance and on appeal.
NFLPA executive director JC Tretter issued a memo to player leaders in April citing a "finding that the NFL had encouraged and invited clubs to take steps to reduce salary guarantees and bonuses."
Head coach Jesse Minter, who took over after Baltimore fired John Harbaugh following last season, said after Sunday's loss: "I think in every game we've proven that we're good enough to be the type of team that we want to be."
Speculation suggests Jackson could become the first NFL player to secure a deal worth $70 million per season.
