Lamar Jackson’s comeback from a high ankle sprain lasted one snap in Buffalo on Sunday. It ended with a right thumb injury that needs surgery and could cost him the rest of the season.

The talk around Jackson, whose contract runs only through 2027, has also turned to whether he will still be in Baltimore next season. Hall of Famer Cris Carter is already gearing up, asking his beloved Minnesota Vikings to make a push to land the two-time MVP.

Cris Carter Pitches Vikings on a Lamar Jackson Pursuit

On the “Inside Football” podcast, Carter made the case for Jackson to trade one shade of purple for another and join his old team, the Minnesota Vikings.

The Ravens quarterback was hurt on his first play back from a three-game absence, when his right hand struck Buffalo Bills pass rusher Greg Rousseau as he threw. Baltimore went on to lose 36-10. Baltimore later placed Jackson on injured reserve, guaranteeing an absence of at least four games, with the thumb injury still potentially season-ending.

The Ravens were 3-1 and sitting at the top of the AFC North when Jackson sprained his ankle, and since then they’ve slid to 4-3 and last place by the time he returned and have lost twice more since, most recently in a 33-10 defeat at home to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Then there’s the contract. Jackson’s deal runs out after 2027, a season that comes with an $84.34 million cap figure, and it gives him no-trade and no-tag clauses.

Here’s how Carter pitched Jackson to the Vikings.

“If I find out a two-time MVP is possibly available, I’m going to call my people at the Minnesota Vikings. They got a new general manager, new front office right there. … Like, this is the two-time MVP, guys. These guys don’t get on the market. They’re not available quite often,” he said.

The Vikings are 6-1 and first in the NFC North. The résumé Carter is selling includes two MVP awards, the NFL’s second-best career passer rating at 102.7, and the most career rushing yards by a quarterback, with 6,666.

“I do believe that Lamar, especially, just like Michael Vick, just like Randall Cunningham, they played some of their best football later in their career. And Lamar, I believe, is a better passer and has more accolades in the pocket than those other two guys. So I do believe he will transition,” he added.

Jackson is ranked 10th in Pro Football Network’s NFL QB Impact Score with a grade of 80.5 through eight weeks. Over that span, he has completed 68 of 97 passes for 967 yards with six touchdowns, one interception, and a 118.4 passer rating.

Ravens’ Stance and the Trade Talk Around Lamar Jackson

So how available is Jackson, really? Not everyone is ready to entertain the idea. Former Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan said this week: “I would absolutely hate him playing in a different uniform… To me, he needs to stay in Baltimore.”

Franchise owner Steve Bisciotti said in January that he wanted Jackson to remain in Baltimore and hoped the two sides could agree to a contract similar in structure to the five-year, $260 million deal Jackson signed in 2023.

No deal has followed. ESPN’s Jamison Hensley reported on Monday that nothing points to Baltimore and Jackson being near an extension.

The cap sheet doesn’t help. Over The Cap projects Baltimore to be $45.94 million over its 2027 cap, more than any other team.

ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio reported on Thursday that there have been “whispers of at least one team doing advance homework on a potential pursuit of Jackson in 2027.”

His no-trade clause also means the Ravens cannot move him without his approval. His no-tag clause means they cannot use the franchise or transition tag to keep him from free agency after 2027, so the biggest decision here belongs to a quarterback who negotiates for himself.