Sources: Lamar Jackson won't have deal before start of season - ESPN

There will be no last-minute, buzzer-beating, day-of-the-opener lucrative contract extension for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson — the way there was for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott on opening day two years ago.

Jackson has been more focused on Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts and the season ahead and has been reluctant to discuss a long-term extension with the Ravens, for whatever reason, league sources told ESPN.

Jackson and the Ravens have yet to engage in any substantive, significant discussions about a long-term contract extension that would give him a chance to finish his career in Baltimore. No deal is expected anytime soon, according to sources, despite the Ravens' willingness to make him the highest-paid quarterback in football.

Jackson continually has demonstrated that once the regular season begins, as it does Sunday in Indianapolis for the Ravens, he prefers not to discuss his contract at all.

It is not thought to be a negotiating tactic; Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti already has publicly said that he wants the two-time MVP back and is willing to make Jackson the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history. Many around the league believe that Jackson could become the NFL's first $70 million-per-year player.

Yet the situation has remained stuck in neutral for over a year while Jackson is more focused on returning to the type of form he had during his MVP seasons.

The issue isn't going away and only figures to increase in importance after this season, when Jackson's salary cap hit for 2027 increases to $84.3 million. Baltimore could afford to carry the contract that way, but it would not be ideal for the franchise.

«We've got free agents and I don't want to go into free agency with