Dumping Lamar Jackson isn’t something the Baltimore Ravens want to do, but they may not have a choice if the franchise quarterback can’t agree a new contract. One option is to franchise tag Jackson and see if any teams offer a bevy of draft picks in trade.
That’s a scenario Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus thinks is possible. He has the New York Giants trading five picks, including three first-rounders, to acquire Jackson after the Ravens used the exclusive franchise tender.
An offer on this scale would be tempting, especially if the Ravens also viewed the Giants’ starter as a safe, short-term alternative to Jackson. Daniel Jones is a free agent and the same logic Spielberger used to explain why Jackson would fit with the Giants reveals why 2019’s sixth-overall draft pick could defy expectations and be a success in Baltimore.
Ravens Would Keep Same System With Different QB
Spielberger named the Giants a logical landing spot for Jackson because of the presence of head coach Brian Daboll. The latter had success with a mobile quarterback when, as offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills, he helped turn Josh Allen into a star.
Daboll has since ensured “Jones ranks fifth in rushing yards among quarterbacks with the lowest stuff rate (1.7%).” Defenses are struggling to track Jones quickly in space because of the smart way the Giants have schemed runs for him.
A good example is this read-option against the Chicago Bears in Week 4, highlighted by Empire Sports Media’s Alex Wilson:
The Bears cannot stop Daniel Jones on the play-action, it’s insane!
I love the extra wrinkle adding Breida to the mix on motion to further confuse Chicago #NYG
Numbers and plays like these guarantee Jones would thrive as a Raven, especially if Greg Roman is still calling the offense next season. Roman has been designing similar plays for Jackson for years.
Those designs have helped No. 8 top six yards per rush in three of his last four seasons. Creating multiple ways to free Jackson as a runner has also led to a bevy of big plays, like a 79-yard touchdown against the Miami Dolphins in Week 2.
Jackson ran a counter behind the block of pulling guard Ben Powers (72):
LAMARVELOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TUNE IN ON CBS!
Roman has his critics, especially for the way the Ravens still struggle to move the ball through the air. Yet, head coach John Harbaugh remains steadfast in support of his OC, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley: “You know the end of the bar talk conversation is for the people sitting at the end of the bar.”
The Ravens don’t usually go in for wholesale changes at the coaching level, with Harbaugh having been in situ since 2008. So it’s likely a coaching staff that knows how to help a mobile quarterback dominate defenses will still be in charge next season.
That would be good news for Jones, who is playing his way into a strong position on the market.
Ravens Have Incentive to Explore Post-Jackson Options
Although they’d rather not lose a player as dynamic as Jackson, the Ravens would be wise to explore their options. Jackson’s injury history and the team’s increasing reliance on his performances has created a dangerous cycle that threatens to keep the Ravens mired among the nearly teams in the NFL.
Jackson’s missed nine games since becoming the clear starter in 2019. A PCL strain is Jackson’s latest problem and he’s sat out eight-straight practice sessions, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He’s also been ruled out for Week 16’s game against the Atlanta Falcons, with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reporting Tyler Huntley will again start:
By now, the pattern is depressingly familiar. If Jackson doesn’t play the Ravens usually lose. They were beaten 13-3 by the Cleveland Browns in Week 15 and went 0-5 without Jackson to finish the 2021 season.
Another defeat sans Jackson would not only threaten to derail the Ravens’ playoff bid for a second-straight season. It would also shine an unflattering light on how poorly the team has been built around its star quarterback.
There are no elite wide receivers on the roster, while an infusion of youth is still needed along the defensive front seven and at the edges of the offensive line. Those are things general manager Eric DeCosta could easily fix with extra draft capital accrued in any trade for Jackson.
DeCosta will also have more resources to retool the roster if he isn’t forced to pay Jackson top-tier QB money. If the Ravens don’t pay up, Jones would represent a cheaper alternative with intriguing upside.
Jones would have made $22.384 million in fully guaranteed money in 2023 if the Giants had picked up his fifth-year option, according to Joel Corry of CBS Sports. Leading an unfancied team to an 8-5-1 record and the verge of the playoffs has boosted Jones’ stock considerably since. So has the 25-year-old “posting career highs in completion percentage (66%) and passer rating (90.5),” per Corry.
Those developments mean Jones could command $25 million annually on the veteran market. A two-year deal on those terms ought to suit the Ravens if they’re not prepared to pay Jackson on a par with Browns’ starter Deshaun Watson, who got $230 million in fully guaranteed money this offseason.
It’s the kind of deal Rapoport believes Jackson wants, but if the Ravens won’t budge, they must pursue new options. Few would arrive as scheme-ready as Jones.
Comments
Ravens Can Replace Lamar Jackson With Former Top-10 Pick