Getty Head coach Pete Carroll's Seahawks have their hands full in the NFC West.
As the Seattle Seahawks look for their next franchise quarterback, there is one star who is not being discussed but has the slight potential to become available if his contract situation is not resolved. Lamar Jackson has yet to sign a contract extension, and NFL Network’s Peter Schrager discussed his future on a March 11 edition of the “The Bill Simmons Podcast.”
Schrager was asked if the Ravens were more likely to trade Jackson or promising backup quarterback Tyler Huntley. While unlikely, Schrager sees Jackson as the more viable trade asset for Baltimore given the status of the current contract negotiations.
“It might be more lucrative for them for what they do to trade Lamar than Huntley,” Schrager explained. “I don’t think Lamar’s being traded but you look to a Seattle, you look to a Carolina. You say, ‘give us four first-round picks for Lamar.’ They might consider it.”
Simmons pushed back on the idea that the Seahawks or another team would give up four first-round picks for Jackson. Schrager later added that the asking price would likely be three first-round selections. The Browns trade for Deshaun Watson could play a factor in Jackson’s value.
“You think he’s worth four first-rounders?” Simmons responded. “I wouldn’t pay that. …I don’t think you get more than the Wilson trade. You got to factor in Wilson was making what mid to high $20s [million]? Lamar, you trade for him, you immediately have to pay him $45, $46 million a year.”
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Jackson Has 1 Year Remaining on His Contract With a $23 Million Salary for 2022
Jackson is unlikely to be traded but just a few weeks ago the idea of the Seahawks trading Russell Wilson to the Broncos seemed wild. The Ravens quarterback has just one season remaining on his current deal which comes with a $23 million salary for the 2022 season.
Baltimore could use the franchise tag on Jackson if an extension is not reached, but star quarterbacks have historically pushed back on this idea. Even if Jackson becomes available, it remains to be seen if the Seahawks want to get back into the big-money quarterback business.
Schrager estimated that Jackson will likely command an annual salary in the $40 million range on his next deal. During a discussion about a potential Deshaun Watson deal, former Seahawks executive and Heavy’s NFL insider Randy Mueller noted that Seattle is unlikely to want to pay a quarterback top dollar this offseason.
“I don’t know that they’re jumping up and down to commit another $35 or $40 million to any one player,” Mueller explained on March 14.
Are the Seahawks Willing to Pay Top Dollar for a QB?
Despite the high price tag, the Seahawks would be wise to at least explore a trade for Jackson. The playmaker is an elite quarterback and does not come with the legal baggage of Watson.
Why didn’t the Seahawks just keep Wilson if they were going to trade for a quarterback like Jackson? While a valid question, all signs point to Wilson wanting to move on from Seattle and by the end, the Seahawks did not appear to mind accommodating the signal caller with a fresh start.
The Seahawks offense thrived when the team used Wilson to run RPO (run-pass option) plays early in his career. There is no bigger dual-threat quarterback in the NFL than Jackson.
The Ravens quarterback threw for 2,882 yards, 16 touchdowns and a career-high 13 interceptions while completing 64.4% of his passes last season. Jackson also added 767 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Jackson Won the NFL MVP in 2019
The star is just two years removed from his MVP campaign in 2019 where Jackson threw for 3,127 yards, 36 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 66.1% of his throws. Jackson also rushed for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns.
Chances are the Ravens and Jackson will eventually come to a long-term agreement. Yet, Jackson is a name for Seahawks fans to keep an eye on in case these negotiations reach a stalemate, and the Ravens want to explore potential trade opportunities.