OTL: Three Questions Surrounding Baltimore as Camp Begins

There are plenty of questions and storylines surrounding the Ravens organization as the 2026 season approaches. A new coach, a newly revamped offensive line, and Super Bowl aspirations from fans and pundits alike. Finally, after months of anticipation, the Ravens are back in the building as training camp officially started with the first team practice Wednesday.

As things get going in Owings Mills, let’s take a look at a few of the top questions for the Ravens in 2026.

Can DeCosta Get a Deal Done with Jackson?

Lamar Jackson is set to become a free agent in March of 2028, but the time to get a deal done with the 2x MVP is now. Jackson is set to hold a $74 million cap hit next season, second in the league behind Patrick Mahomes’ $90 million. The Ravens and Lamar reached an agreement on a contract restructure this past March, clearing nearly $40 million in cap space and shifting money into the later years.  Jackson will be 30 years old at the start of next season, and after a down year in 2025, buying “low” on Jackson’s stock could pay off for the Ravens payroll. The Ravens front office has shown a willingness to invest in Jackson over the last few seasons, and will have to pay one of his favorite weapons shortly, in Zay Flowers.

Pay Zay!

During Baltimore’s end-of-season press conference, owner Steve Bisciotti stated he didn’t want contract talks to take a similar path to 2023, when the Ravens and Jackson couldn’t come to terms until April. It’s now been three months, and Jackson hasn’t been extended before yesterday’s official start to camp. For Jackson, he ultimately enters camp with all the leverage, should he have himself a bounce-back year in 2026. He has a no-trade and no-tag clause in his contract, preventing the Ravens from trading his value or relying on the franchise tag, should Lamar decide to take his talents elsewhere in 2028. For a once-in-a-lifetime player like Lamar, it’s a gamble on himself worth taking. The quarterback market is only rising, and not many signing said paydays put up the production of a 3x All-Pro. Jackson has stated his willingness to stay in Baltimore, explaining to reporters at OTA’s, “I love the Ravens, I love this organization, I love the city. This is the team that drafted me.”

However, the longer the two wait, the higher the gamble for both sides.

How Effective Will Madubuike Be?

The Ravens had one of the best first days of training camp in the NFL on Wednesday, and it had nothing to do with their on-field performances. After missing all but two games in 2025, and potentially facing the end of his career, Ravens defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike passed his physical and was cleared to return from his 2025 season-ending neck injury Wednesday afternoon. It’s news the organization and fans alike have been optimistic to receive, and seeing #92 run out onto the practice field felt like a breath of fresh air.

Camp Notes: Nnamdi Madubuike Returns

When rushing four last season, the Ravens finished 28th in pressure rate, 29th in sack rate, and 30th in pass rush win rate, according to Mina Kimes of ESPN. Adding Trey Hendrickson, along with the return of Madubuike, could allow the Ravens to rewrite the narrative surrounding their ability to get after the quarterback. If the Ravens can get even half the player Madubuike was before his neck issue, it’d be an immediate improvement alongside Travis Jones, who signed a 3-year extension with the team in December. Head coach Jesse Minter stated “it’s still a process” when talking with the media regarding Nnamdi’s return.

The Ravens were patient in addressing the interior defensive line during Madubuike’s absence, and now wait to see if their All-Pro defensive lineman can get back into the swing of things.

Can Bateman Bounce Back? Can Tez Walker Find a Role?

For the first time in a long time, the Ravens have some deep talent within their wide receiver room. The front office used back-to-back picks on wide receivers they believe in, and Zay Flowers is a 2x Pro Bowler, but they might not even be the most important players to the offense’s success.

If the Ravens can get a healthy and hungry Rashod Bateman, as well as involve now third-year receiver Tez Walker, this receiver corps could find themselves as one of the league’s most dangerous. Bateman’s route running and ability to create separation speak for themselves, but getting him involved in the offense was a different story last year. For Walker, we’ve seen his strength of stretching the field vertically, as well as his knack for finding the end zone. After being drafted in the 4th round in 2024, Walker’s first three career receptions all went for touchdowns, including a two-reception, 26-yard, and two-TD performance against the Browns in Week 2 last season. Walker is expected to take a larger role this season, especially following the departure of Tylan Wallace to the Browns in free agency.

Getting Bateman and Walker included in the offense, as well as the expected production from Flowers, allows the Ravens coaching staff to have some patience with rookies Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt. It’s the first time in my lifetime that I look at a Ravens receiver depth chart and wonder how exactly they’re going to distribute the ball around. There are playmakers everywhere on this offense, regardless of what was lost at the tight end position during the offseason. The Ravens offense would love to get back to the explosion they produced in 2024, and judging by the comments of players on offense, Declan Doyle may have this team on track.

The post OTL: Three Questions Surrounding Baltimore as Camp Begins appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2026/07/30/out-to-lunch/jackson-contract-walker/