Lamar Jackson Faces Skepticism as NFL Peers Rank Him 69th in Top 100

Lamar Jackson, the Baltimore Ravens quarterback, has taken a significant hit in the eyes of his NFL peers. In the annual NFL Top 100 rankings, voted on exclusively by active NFL players, Jackson fell from No. 2 overall last summer to 69th this year. This drastic drop of 67 spots is a clear indication that the rest of the NFL is fading Jackson going into the 2026 season.

The NFL Top 100 rankings are a significant indicator of how players are perceived by their peers. Jackson's fall from No. 2 to 69th is a substantial drop, and it's not the only sign that the NFL world is losing faith in him. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler conducted a poll of NFL scouts, coaches, and executives, and while Jackson was ranked as the No. 5 quarterback, at least one person polled left him off their top-10 quarterbacks list altogether.

The timing of this drop in rankings couldn't be worse for Jackson, who is still set to play this season on his current deal. The Ravens have restructured his compensation to open up cap space, but there's no sign of progress between the two parties on a new contract. With quarterback prices and the salary cap surging, Jackson's contract is falling off the pace among top signal callers across the league.

As the Ravens and Jackson continue to negotiate, the rest of the NFL seems to be sending a message that could make life harder for Jackson to get his next big deal. With injuries and age (he'll turn 30 this winter) stacking up against him, Jackson will need to prove himself on the field to regain the trust of his peers and the NFL world. If he can answer the call, any apprehension about that new deal for Jackson from the Ravens should melt away in no time at all.