Lamar Jackson rumors: 5 trade packages that could force Ravens’ hand

The Ravens reportedly could eye a Lamar Jackson trade that is heavy on draft picks after Baltimore franchise tags the QB and these teams should be ready.

Lamar Jackson almost definitely won’t hit free agency in the 2023 season. The plan appears to be for the Baltimore Ravens to levy the franchise tag on the quarterback who the franchise has struggled to negotiate with over the past year-plus.

What happens next, however, is a bit more up in the air.

According to NFL insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo, the latest Lamar Jackson rumors suggest that the Ravens could be willing to explore potential trades if the incoming trade package heavily emphasizes draft picks.

Given the fact that Jackson will be on a roughly $40 million tag and will be looking for an extension, it feels reasonable to say that around two first-round picks could be a starting point for any trade. But which teams are in the position to make that trade and, more importantly, would want to? These five all are reasonable Lamar Jackson trade partners for the Ravens to work with.

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Lamar Jackson rumors: 5 trade packages heavy on draft picks to move Ravens

5. The Detroit Lions are best positioned to deliver a Lamar Jackson trade package

Do the Detroit Lions truly need a quarterback heading into the 2023 season? Perhaps not. This team almost made the playoffs this past season with Jared Goff, the front office has vocally supported the former No. 1 overall pick, and there’s an argument to make that they could be just as well served to use their loaded chest of draft picks to keep upgrading the overall roster talent.

At the same time, though, if you put Lamar Jackson on the Lions, are they the new favorites in the NFC North? That’s not out of the question. And what makes it more intriguing is that Detroit is arguably more well-equipped to send a boatload of picks to Baltimore and still be okay.

As such, here’s what a Lions trade package for Jackson could look like.

Because of the Matthew Stafford trade, the Lions have the No. 6 pick to send to Baltimore, which could be huge. But they would still have No. 18, their own pick. Moreover, they would also still have their own second-round pick after trading the Vikings pick owed to them from the T.J. Hockenson trade.

The details of this could be shuffled, including sending Jared Goff to the Ravens much like he was moved in the Stafford deal with the Rams. If Detroit wants to aggressively try to raise their ceiling, though, they are in a position to make that move.

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