Lamar Jackson has signed a five-year extension with the Baltimore Ravens

Star quarterback Lamar Jackson wants to continue working with the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL. The team announced on Thursday, a few hours before the draft in the National Football League, that they had agreed in principle to extend the contract for another five years. “I’m excited to be back and can’t wait,” Jackson said in a short video clip the team shared in the tweet.

According to US media reports, Jackson should be able to earn up to 260 million US dollars (currently around 236 million euros) in the five years. That would make him the highest paid professional football player in the world. This was most recently Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles. After entering the Super Bowl, the quarterback signed a five-year contract worth 255 million US dollars (currently around 231.5 million euros).

Jackson had called for a change in March. In Baltimore he will play with Star Pass recipient Odell Beckham Jr., who has signed a contract with the Ravens for the coming season.

Meanwhile, in the NFL draft, the distribution of the best young players among the 32 teams, quarterback Bryce Young, who will play for the Carolina Panthers in the future, was selected first. The playmaker was active in college for Alabama and was the first football talent to walk across the stage in Kansas City and hug NFL boss Roger Goodell on Thursday evening (local time).

Young was one of three quarterbacks selected in the top four positions. The Houston Texans secured CJ Stroud in second place before making a surprise trade with the Arizona Cardinals, allowing them to pick again in third place, choosing defensive player Will Anderson Jr. Somewhat surprisingly, fourth place went to Anthony Richardson to the Indianapolis Colts.

In the NFL draft, the 32 teams are allowed to select from the young players. The worst teams from the previous season go first. Teams are allowed to swap positions in the draft. In this way, the Panthers secured the first right of access that the Chicago Bears initially had.

Among the talents registered for the draft this year are three German football players. Kilian Zierer, Lorenz Metz and Marlon Werthmann will probably only be selected – if at all – in the later rounds on Friday and Saturday. Rounds two and three of the draft are on Friday, rounds four through seven are on Saturday.