Lamar Jackson trade request: 3 teams that need to get in
WR Drake London, Atlanta Falcons. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Lamar Jackson wants to get traded. These three NFL teams should be calling up the Baltimore Ravens to get in on potential negotiations.
The NFL offseason took a dramatic turn today when Lamar Jackson officially requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens. Jackson confirmed on Twitter that he requested a deal back on March 2 when it became clear that Baltimore wouldn’t meet his contract demands, timing the tweet to release when head coach John Harbaugh was set to meet with the media.
The Ravens have said on multiple occasions they don’t want to trade Jackson but the 2019 NFL MVP could create leverage by refusing to sign the franchise tag. This would turn allow Jackson to hold out without being fined, holding Baltimore hostage until they either acquiesce to his contract demands or trade Jackson to a team that will.
Time will tell if Jackson gets his wish, but these three teams should pick up the phone and see what it would take for Baltimore to move on from Jackson.
3. Lamar Jackson would be the new face of the Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have leaked that they are not interested in acquiring Jackson, instead preferring to develop second-year quarterback Desmond Ridder, but that may be a tactic to preserve leverage. Finding a successor to Matt Ryan as the franchise quarterback has been a priority for Atlanta, which was heavily involved in a pursuit of Deshaun Watson last winter before getting outbid by the Cleveland Browns’ fully guaranteed contract.
Ridder has a chance to develop into a quality starter but Jackson is already established as a proven star, something the Falcons desperately need. Jackson would have a good supporting cast to work with in Atlanta, including talented young pass catchers like Drake London and Kyle Pitts, and his rushing style would fit perfectly with Arthur Smith’s offense.
The question here is whether or not a team in the middle of a rebuild can afford to deal multiple first-round picks, along with other assets, to secure Jackson’s services. While those picks could turn into starters, having a legitimate superstar quarterback is far more valuable than finding a starting offensive lineman or defender.
