5 Teams That Should Call the Ravens About a Lamar Jackson Trade
By Hunter Haas
The Baltimore Ravens and star quarterback Lamar Jackson are at a stalemate at the negotiation table, and it is becoming increasingly likely that the former MVP suits up elsewhere in 2023.
Lamar Jackson burst onto the national scene as a second-year starter at Louisville, putting together the best season in program history en route to a Heisman Trophy victory. When Jackson was finally eligible for the NFL Draft, he bolted and ended up as the fifth quarterback off the board.
At No. 32 overall, the Baltimore Ravens traded back into the first round and selected the gifted signal-caller. Jackson redshirted the first half of his rookie campaign, learning the ropes behind veteran Joe Flacco.
The final seven games saw Jackson shift to the QB1 role. He inherited a 4-5 record but elevated the squad to six wins as a starter, helping Baltimore squeak its way into the postseason. The Ravens would lose a tight contest vs. the Chargers, but the best was yet to come for Jackson and Co.
In 2019, the Ravens posted the best record in the NFL at 14-2, thanks to Jackson’s MVP play behind center. In his first full season as the team’s starting quarterback, Jackson accounted for 4,333 total yards and 43 touchdowns. Unfortunately, Baltimore would lose its divisional-round matchup with the Titans.
The following season saw Lamar Jackson win his first playoff game, avenging a loss to Tennessee the year prior. In the second round, the Ravens ran into a red-hot Buffalo Bills squad, who brought Baltimore’s season to an end.
Jackson has posted a winning record each of the past two seasons but missed ten games in that span, plus the team’s playoff game vs. the Bengals. With the postseason included, the Ravens lost eight of the 11 games without Jackson on the field.
5 Teams That Should Call the Ravens About a Lamar Jackson Trade
Now, we arrive at the present day. The Ravens have offered extensions, but reports say they were well short of the number Jackson is looking for; not to mention his desire to sign a fully guaranteed contract.
His injury history highlights the biggest concern when it comes to guaranteeing a contract. Jackson is right to demand this after watching the Browns give Deshaun Watson a boatload of guaranteed money last offseason.
Baltimore, to this point, is unwilling to meet this demand. The team parted ways with offensive coordinator Greg Roman last month and hired his replacement, Georgia’s Todd Monken a week ago. Monken recently stated that Jackson has had zero contact with the Ravens since his hiring.
There is still a chance that the two sides will compromise and strike a long-term pact. However — with each passing day — the likelihood of Lamar Jackson donning a different uniform rises. If worst comes to worst and the Ravens franchise tag Jackson in hopes of finding a trade partner, what teams have the resources to pull off the blockbuster deal?