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The Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson might actually be headed toward a divorce.
Moments before Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was set to meet the media at the NFL annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, Jackson revealed via a tweet that he requested a trade on March 2.
in regards to my future plans. As of March 2nd I requested a trade from the Ravens organization for which the Ravens has not been interested in meeting my value, any and everyone that’s has met me or been around me know I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) March 27, 2023
Baltimore placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, mere hours before the deadline to do so on March 7, allowing all 31 other teams to negotiate an offer sheet with the star quarterback. Almost immediately after Jackson was tagged, teams lined up to publicly distance themselves from having any interest in Jackson, who has been seeking a fully-guaranteed contract. A guaranteed contract that mirrors what the Cleveland Browns paid Deshaun Watson in the midst of dozens of sexual misconduct allegations, combined with the pair of first-round picks a team would forfeit if the Ravens declined to match the offer, were seemingly nonstarters.
However, might teams be more inclined to work towards a trade for Jackson, especially if the Ravens have less leverage than the two first-round pick asking price and if Jackson comes off his demands for a fully-guaranteed contract?
If the changing dynamics of Jackson‘s situation make a trade more palatable, here are four potential best fits:
Indianapolis Colts
According to multiple reports, including from ESPN, the Colts haven’t ruled out pursuing Jackson.
With the exception of the Jacksonville Jaguars being a team on the rise with a franchise quarterback in place and fresh off an appearance in the AFC Divisional Playoffs, the AFC South is wide open for the Colts.
Likewise, pairing new head coach Shane Steichen with Jackson, following Steichen’s influence over the past two seasons helping develop Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts into an MVP front-runner in 2022 could vault the Colts into the forefront of the conversation in the AFC.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were among the first teams to very publicly announce that they had no intention of pursuing Jackson.
However, as Heavy reported hours before the Ravens tagged Jackson, talks between Atlanta and Baltimore on a potential Jackson trade picked up steam significantly during the NFL Combine.
Atlanta boasts a pair of dynamic weapons in wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts who could see their production elevated to new heights with Jackson’s presence and move the Falcons into the NFC South catbird seat. From a schematic standpoint, there might not be a better match than Jackson’s mobility and the run-based offense deployed by Falcons head coach Arthur Smith.
If Jackson truly is not seeking a fully guaranteed contract, perhaps the Falcons change their tune on bringing the electrifying quarterback to Atlanta.
New York Jets
The Jets are locked in negotiations with the Green Bay Packers after Aaron Rodgers declared his interest in playing for New York. But, those negotiations are going … poorly.
There is a palpable sense of surprise inside the league that this trade hasn’t been able to get done — yet. Could there come a point where the Jets pivot off trading possibly a first-round pick, and more, for 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers and to Jackson?
Jackson, signed to a long-term contract, creates significantly more long-term upside for the Jets in the AFC’s gauntlet of elite quarterbacks standing in New York’s way of a Super Bowl than renting Rodgers for one or two seasons would. The Jets are a darkhorse, long-shot, but the more time that passes without New York chartering a flight to Newark with Rodgers in tow, the more possible Jackson in green becomes.
Washington Commanders
Are the Commanders really going to move forward with Sam Howell at quarterback?
After hiring Eric Bieniemy as offensive coordinator, and in what could be a pivotal season to head coach Ron Rivera’s future in the shadow of the Nation’s Capital.
Trading Jackson to Washington would get him out of the AFC, and thus out of the Ravens’ Super Bowl path, and for the Commanders would drop an elite and versatile quarterback into an offense with some dynamic playmakers like Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Brian Robinson Jr., keeping pace in the NFC East arms race.
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