John Harbaugh’s Ravens aren’t just chasing another playoff run. They’re navigating a financial tightrope. Lamar Jackson, 28, is entering Year 2 of a five-year, $260 million deal. But what should be the Ravens’ next move for his contract? Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson dropped his two cents on the topic.

Johnson quipped, “You got certain people that’s getting ready to overlap him—and they ain’t got no business.” Translation? With Joe Burrow ($55M/year), Justin Herbert ($52.5M), and now Purdy ($53M) resetting the market, Jackson’s $52M average feels like last season’s playbook. Shannon Sharpe’s warning hangs heavy: “Lamar’s about 50. They ain’t got no business overlapping Young Bull.”

“If I’m the Ravens, I go ahead and do something with Lamar,” Sharpe declared on Nightcap, flanked by Ochocinco and former NBA star Joe Johnson. “Sign him—re-sign him. Hell yeah. Got to do it again.” The urgency in Sharpe’s voice cuts through like a Lamar Jackson scramble—sudden, decisive, impossible to ignore. With Brock Purdy’s $265 million extension freshly inked in San Francisco, the NFL’s quarterback carousel spins faster than ever, and Baltimore’s front office faces a ticking clock.

Baltimore’s dilemma isn’t just about dollars—it’s about legacy. Jackson’s 2024 stats (4,172 pass yards, 915 rush yards, 45 total TDs) evoke Madden glitches, yet his contract trails peers. Ochocinco’s prediction lingers: “Probably sometime in the middle—I bet they do something in the middle of the season. Watch.” But waiting risks a Mahomes–Allen stalemate, where playoff heartbreaks inflate price tags. “Every time [Josh Allen] runs into Mahomeboy, it’s curtains,” Sharpe mused. Translation? In the AFC arms race, hesitation is defeat.

The Ravens’ roster—stacked with Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, and a defense allowing the third-fewest points in 2024—is built for January. But as Purdy’s rise proves, sustaining contention requires cap sorcery. San Francisco’s $42.3 million in 2025 space versus Baltimore’s $10.1 million isn’t just math—it’s philosophy. Shanahan bet early on Purdy’s ‘intangibles,’ those unquantifiable traits Steve Young likened to ‘Patrick Mahomes’s calm.’ Harbaugh, meanwhile, must weigh Jackson’s MVP pedigree against a market where even Jared Goff cashes $53M/year.

Purdy blueprint on John Harbaugh’s playbook: Mr Irrelevant to $265M symphony

While Harbaugh mulls Jackson’s future, Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers just authored a masterclass in cap gymnastics. Purdy’s deal—$181 million guaranteed, yet structured to keep his 2025 cap hit at $8.5 million—is the NFL equivalent of threading a needle mid-blitz. “I plan on being with Brock here the whole time I’m here,” Shanahan vowed, and the numbers sing harmony: 9,518 passing yards, 64 TDs, and a 67.5% completion rate over 40 games. Purdy, the 262nd pick in 2022, didn’t just beat Tom Brady in his debut; he rewrote the underdog script, blending Iowa State grit with Silicon Valley innovation.

San Francisco’s staggered bonuses and rolling guarantees mirror a Madden franchise mode played on ‘Legendary’ difficulty—maximize value, minimize risk. As Sharpe noted, “The hardest thing is breaking through that wall the first time.” For Purdy, that wall crumbled in Super Bowl LVIII, even in defeat. Moreover, for Jackson, two MVPs, 6,173 rushing yards (an NFL QB record), and a 74–29 regular-season record scream legitimacy.

Amid all the speculation and fan reactions, analyst Shannon Sharpe offered a stark warning. “You better get him before he messes around and wins a Super Bowl. Cause now you have to pay him $70 million.” The poetic twist? Both QBs defy draft-day doubts. Purdy, the last pick; Jackson, the 32nd—a ‘prove-it’ prototype turned paradigm. To put it into perspective, as Sharpe said, “Lamar has two MVPs. The only guy on this list that has an MVP is Josh Allen.” In other words, MVPs don’t discount themselves.

So, Coach John Harbaugh, the playbook’s clear. Learn from Shanahan’s chess moves: pay Lamar now, structure creatively, and keep the AFC North crown in reach. Because in today’s NFL, hesitation isn’t just a delay—it’s a fumble.