After putting behind a disappointing 2025 year, the Baltimore Ravens have set clear priorities for the upcoming season. The Ravens missed the postseason with an 8-9 record after starting as Super Bowl contenders in the initial phase of last year. As a result, for the team, one issue has quickly moved to the top of the priority list – keeping Lamar Jackson protected. The Ravens have already taken a major hit with the departure of center Tyler Linderbaum, a three-time Pro Bowler who now lines up for the Las Vegas Raiders. His exit leaves a significant gap at the heart of the line, a position that anchors both the run game and pass protection. There was an expectation that Baltimore would move quickly in free agency to address the loss, but so far, that solution hasn’t arrived. However, team president Sashi Brown is well aware of the situation, as he shared the Ravens’ clear mantra for the 2026 season.

“Winning is always number one,” Sashi Brown said in a recent video shared on the Baltimore Ravens YouTube channel. “We got to get back on top of this division and protect Lamar, run the ball, play solid defense on the field, which I’m confident we will do.”

Winning being the most important goal for the upcoming season comes as no surprise, given the Ravens’ struggles in the postseason during the Lamar Jackson era. Baltimore has a 3-5 playoff record with Jackson as a starter. The franchise now hopes to improve on this number significantly by first clinching the divisional title and then continuing its winning form into the playoffs.

Amid all these, protecting Lamar Jackson remains an important issue for the Ravens, as their offensive line was 28th in PFF pass-blocking efficiency rating (82.8) after allowing 155 pressures, 17 sacks on 501 snaps. The biggest reason for this poor season was offensive guards Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele, who finished with a cumulative 52.1 PFF run-blocking grade, 27th in the NFL.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the Ravens will be without star center Tyler Linderbaum after his decision to join the Raiders. So the Baltimore front office will have high hopes for the new signings, like guards John Simpson and Jovaughn Gwyn, and new center Danny Pinter, to protect Lamar Jackson, especially after the QB was sacked 36 times in the past season.

While the O-line will face a lot of scrutiny next year, the defense will also hope for significant improvements with the Ravens, as it ranked 18th in the league. The pass defense department emerged as a major concern, as it finished 30th in the league while allowing an average of 247.9 passing yards per game, according to FOX Sports.

Although the front office has made a few big moves this offseason, the Ravens must act quickly to assure their quarterback, especially when there’s uncertainty about Lamar Jackson’s next contract, as his recent extension ends in 2027.

Ravens and Lamar Jackson fail to reach extension agreement: Report

The 2025-26 season became the first in Lamar Jackson’s career where the Louisville product finished with an 8-9 record, marking his first losing season. Jackson also missed four games due to a hamstring strain and back contusion, and he threw for 2,549 yards and 21 touchdowns over 13 games. Despite these lowered numbers, Jackson remains one of the best signal-callers in the league and, therefore, has been demanding top dollar for his next deal with the franchise.

Furthermore, Jackson has taken the matter into his own hands, as he did while securing a five-year, $260 million deal signed in 2023, by representing himself during the negotiation. However, this hasn’t worked out for either party, with a report revealing no progress made on an extension for the Ravens QB1.

“The Ravens have wanted to get a deal done with the self-represented Jackson but have been unable to,” CBS Sports insider Jonathan Jones reported in his NFL Insider Notebook.

Jackson is locked into a five-year deal that keeps him tied to the Ravens through 2027. Unlike most franchise quarterbacks, he can’t be hit with a franchise tag when that contract runs out, a condition he personally built into the agreement. That detail changes everything, because without an extension in place, he is set to enter free agency in 2028 with full control over his future. At that point, the Ravens wouldn’t have any built-in advantage and would be forced to compete with the rest of the league to keep him.

It’s a scenario Jackson secured back in 2023, and it puts real pressure on the timeline. According to the reports, the QB might be eyeing to top Dak Prescott’s $60 million number this offseason. The Ravens’ front office has made a few significant moves to return to Super Bowl contention, but the franchise must act fast to secure its star quarterback for the foreseeable future to maintain its window to compete in the league.