IT seemed like this would’ve been unthinkable weeks ago, but there’s chatter that the Baltimore Ravens might want to sell high on quarterback Lamar Jackson, and the Las Vegas Raiders should be watching this situation carefully. According to Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston, the Ravens have started to get frustrated with their superstar quarterback, who has battled injuries all season.
“The breakdown of an NFL player’s body is natural, but Jackson could help himself. He doesn’t need to be up late at night playing video games or falling asleep in team meetings,” Preston wrote. “He needs to train more around The Castle instead of only attending mandatory minicamps, where he disappears after one day.
“A major problem, a lot of it on the Ravens, is that there are team rules and then there are rules for Jackson. That’s why Baltimore practices in the heat of the afternoon instead of in the morning.”
It’s obviously a problem when the face of the franchise and starting quarterback isn’t being held to the same standard that the rest of the roster is. Head coach John Harbaugh may be fed up with having to use kid gloves with Jackson.
“It’s clear that coach John Harbaugh has become tired Jackson, even though he builds him up after every game,” Preston wrote. “He has to, or Jackson will go into his own self-exile.”
Raiders Could ‘Make Sense’ For Jackson Trade
Whatever Jackson’s off-the-field habits are, they haven’t led to poor play on the field. He won his second MVP award in 2023 and finished second in 2024. He has a 76-30 record as a starter. Last season, he threw 41 touchdowns to four interceptions.
Simply put, he’s objectively one of the best players in the NFL. If the Ravens are willing to trade him, the Raiders have to be one of the teams to make a call. CBS Sports’ Will Brinson broke down why Las Vegas makes sense for Jackson.
“They clearly want to be better,” Brinson said on CBS Sports HQ. “It’s a roster that isn’t fabulous, but you’ve seen what Lamar Jackson has done with his tight ends … him and Brock Bowers could make some sweet sweet music, I think, out there in the desert. … Certainly, if they want to make a splash, Lamar Jackson is as big as it gets.”
What Could It Take to Trade for Jackson?
If the Raiders get the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, a possible trade for Jackson becomes easier. Considering his massive contract, reported off-the-field concerns and injury history, it’s possible that the No. 1 pick is enough to get a trade done.
That would allow the Ravens to add their young quarterback replacement immediately. Baltimore will likely seek more trade compensation, but it’s hard to imagine the Raiders would give up more than two first-round picks if one of those picks is No. 1.
Now, does Las Vegas feel like they have enough on the roster already to justify trading away such valuable assets for an injury-prone quarterback who is about to turn 29? Probably not, but it might not matter. Jackson is good enough to make the Raiders relevant immediately, and that might be all that owner Mark Davis cares about at this point.
Raiders Could Make ‘Splash’ Trade for $260 Million QB Amid Controversy