With the Baltimore Ravens’ search for a new head coach underway, focus shifts to quarterback Lamar Jackson’s future. NFL insider Mike Florio believes the team’s major leadership decision can either steady or strain its relationship with the 29-year-old. And it has something to do with two additional clauses in his franchise tag contract extension. For Baltimore, the stakes are far bigger than just finding John Harbaugh’s replacement.

“Hovering over the Ravens coaching decision, I believe, is the tenuous relationship with Lamar Jackson,” sportswriter and NFL insider Mike Florio said on the Rich Eisen Show on January 21. 

“And it drives Ravens fans crazy when we talk about it, but he’s under contract for two more years. He’s got a no-tag clause in addition to his no-trade clause. And they need to resolve whatever this vibe is. And one of the core problems is he’s never had an agent, and communication can be a problem.”

According to Florio, Lamar Jackson’s contract situation will be one of the major decisions the new coach will have to make. In April 2023, the team locked him in for a five-year, $260 million extension with $185 million in guaranteed money. While the deal gave a promising boost to his future, his no-tag, no-trade clauses complicated matters. Under these, Jackson cannot be franchise tagged when he approaches free agency in 2027, and he can’t join another franchise unless he waives the no-trade clause.

Furthermore, Florio highlighted how the team dragged the negotiations for his deal for years. Then, the QB reportedly realized last season that his deal no longer reflected the market. In the insider’s opinion, Baltimore’s new head coach must hand him a new contract before it becomes a bigger problem.

Meanwhile, Florio also suggested that Jackson may react differently to who Baltimore picks. If they select an experienced, offensive-minded coach, Jackson may feel “one way” about the decision. However, things may go sideways if they bring in someone who’s both green and specialized in defense. Florio pointed out that while owner Steve Bisciotti admitted to Jackson’s involvement in the hiring process, there has been little reporting on the extent of it.

Florio pointed to the Deshaun Watson situation with the Houston Texans as a warning sign.

“Deshaun Watson’s relationship with the Texans became permanently fractured because he had ideas for coaching GM and he believed they were ignored,” he said. 

As the league watches Baltimore’s next step, a new candidate is emerging as a potential HC candidate.

Lamar Jackson’s team’s search for Harbaugh’s successor

The Ravens’ 2025 season ended with a poor 8-9 record after they lost a crucial Week 18 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The defeat sparked a major organizational reset, starting with the sacking of John Harbaugh in his 18th season. It ended the NFL’s second-longest coaching tenure after Mike Tomlin’s. However, his tenure was also one of the most successful in the league.

Under him, the Ravens won a Super Bowl title and posted a 180–113 record. And yet, the organization couldn’t help but move on from him while he takes the reins as the Giants’ HC. With results flattening out, Baltimore is now ready to head in a new direction and inject fresh energy into the team. So, who’s their ideal option?

USA Today’s Jacob Camenker recently projected how the teams will fill their remaining head coaching vacancies. In his opinion, Baltimore will welcome a younger, first-time head coach rather than an established name. A promising option that ticks these boxes is the Los Angeles Chargers‘ defensive coordinator, Jesse Minter. 

Moreover, Minter seems like a perfect match, as he worked with the Ravens from 2017 to 2020 before joining Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. There, he guided a top-ranking defense and helped them win a national championship in 2023. Later, he followed Jim to the Chargers and powered the defense. The unit ranked fifth this year, allowing only 285.2 yards per game. With the Ravens’ defensive identity slipping in recent years, Minter could help restore that edge. His second in-person interview on January 20 suggests that he is under serious consideration. 

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