A look at Lamar Jackson's cloudy future with Ravens - ESPN

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson walked off the field while looking in disbelief at his misshapen and battered right thumb, a stunning turn of events that has become the lasting image amid the uncertainty surrounding the rest of this season as well as his future with the team.

After Sunday's 36-10 loss at the Buffalo Bills, Ravens coach Jesse Minter said that Jackson will undergo surgery and that his injury is «potentially» season-ending. There are more questions about what lies ahead next offseason for Jackson, given that 2027 is the final year of his contract and includes a massive salary cap hit.

It's possible that Jackson's final snap with the Ravens ended with his right hand colliding with Bills outside linebacker Greg Rousseau while Jackson was trying to throw a pass. His scintillating era of deep downfield passes and elusive scrambles with Baltimore might have closed with Jackson exiting the stadium with his right hand in a brace, which served as another reminder about how injuries have derailed some of his most recent seasons.

«I would absolutely hate him playing in a different uniform,» said Rex Ryan, a former Ravens defensive coordinator and current ESPN analyst. «Ray Lewis always played for the Baltimore Ravens. And there is a statue of him, and there's going be another one of Lamar Jackson right by him. You are the Baltimore Ravens. To me, he needs to stay in Baltimore. Is there another situation that he wants to play in more than a Baltimore Raven?»

Jackson's future with the Ravens is clouded because his $84.34 million cap figure next year is considered untenable because of Baltimore's challenging cap situation. The Ravens are $45.94 million over the cap in 2027, which is the