The saga is finally over for Lamar Jackson. Despite all the hesitations, the steps, the missteps and the false hope, it is finally done. The Baltimore Ravens has his new contract, and he is the highest paid player in the NFL.

Getting the job done without an agent, Jackson has a 5-year, $260 million deal to stay with the Ravens. The quarterback and his employer are thrilled to have a new deal, and Twitter is going nuts as a result.

The deal was agreed to shortly before  the start of the 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City Thursday night. Quarterbacks are expected to dominate the night, with Bryce Young potentially being drafted in the No. 1 spot by the Carolina Panthers and C.J. Stroud of Ohio State going shortly thereafter.

The Ravens clearly are not in need of a starting quarterback as they are committed to Jackson. He has been an exceptional leader in his first 5 years with the team, having won the Most Valuable Player Award in 2019 and earning a spot in 2 Pro Bowls.

Lamar Jackson was injured in 2022, and he played in just 12 games last year. He suffered a knee sprain that kept him out of 5 games, and the same held true in 2021 when he had an ankle sprain.

However, the Ravens realized he had demonstrated that he is a rare talent, and the two sides completed the deal prior to Roger Goodell announcing the first selection Thursday Night. Negotiations went into a full-speed-ahead mode shortly after the Philadelphia Eagles announced their contract extension with quarterback Jalen Hurts earlier this month.