How often does a former MVP yet to hit their prime hit free agency? The answer won’t surprise you. Never. NFL teams are too protective over their best and brightest assets, especially when those assets are starting quarterbacks. But, somehow, Lamar Jackson’s future with the Baltimore Ravens is in jeopardy.
Unable to agree on an extension prior to his fifth season in the NFL, Jackson is slated to be a potential free agent this off-season if the Ravens don’t franchise-tag him. The expectation is that they will – as they should. Letting a 26-year-old franchise quarterback walk is a surefire fireable offense.
However, even if the Ravens tag him, that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll be sticking around into the 2023 season. There’ll be a surplus of teams on the phone inquiring about a potential trade. But what are the best 5 landing spots for Jackson in 2023?
5. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers’ quarterback search has reached unparalleled levels of frustration over the last three seasons. Since moving on from Cam Newton, the Panthers have been stuck in quarterback purgatory, bouncing from starter to starter without ever nailing down an answer at the position.
Teddy Bridgewater, in typical fashion, was solid but unspectacular so the Panthers traded him to the Denver Broncos and took a chance on trading for the former no. 3 overall pick Sam Darnold.
The Darnold experiment is still technically in session, but sandwich in a short six-game stint from Baker Mayfield in between, and you can call it a failure. No one does quarterback chaos quite like the Panthers.
Holding the no. 9 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Panthers have a chance to draft a quarterback that could change the future of the franchise. But there are plenty of risks attached to that, and they might not even land their guy- so instead, why not target Lamar Jackson?
New head coach Frank Reich is building one of the most impressive coaching staffs in the NFL. Rather than put their faith in a rookie quarterback that’ll need time to develop, going after a quarterback like Jackson – one that could help change the fate of the franchise in an instant isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
Overall, the Panthers already have an exciting team. The defense has some young impact players and the offense has playmakers like D.J. Moore and enough cap space and draft capital to target others.
A trade for Jackson makes a lot of sense for the Panthers. If they really want a quarterback in the draft, they’ll likely have to trade up to get one. However, with a number of teams in front of them also needing a signal caller, they could miss out entirely. Trading for Jackson bypasses the risk and gives you one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL from the word go.
4. Las Vegas Raiders
The 2022 season was a disaster for the Raiders, there’s no other way of putting it. Expectations were high thanks to the additions of Davante Adams and Chandler Jones, but things never really clicked. The offense was a middle-of-the-pack squad and the defense was one of the worst units in the NFL – as it has been for a few years now.
The result of their failure was the end of the Derek Carr era. Carr was released with the opportunity of finding a starting job elsewhere, and now the Raiders are on the hunt for a starting quarterback.
Like the Panthers, they could draft a quarterback. They hold the no. 7 pick – two spots above Carolina – and could grab one of Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, or Will Levis if they fall, but that’s unlikely. A rookie contract would help the Raiders use their cap to upgrade the defense but putting Lamar Jackson in an offense with Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs, and Darren Waller would be electric. Plus, the Raiders are one of the few teams that have the cap space to offer Jackson a monster deal while also frontloading a large portion of the contract.
Jackson doesn’t fit the mould of a quarterback you’d expect to see in a Josh McDaniels offense. But when a player of his calibre is available, you adjust and build your offense around him. This one seems a little unlikely, if only because the rumours that the Raiders could trade for Aaron Rodgers are intensifying. Keep an eye on this one if Rodgers ends up elsewhere.
3. New York Jets
Hot on the heels of the Raiders in the Rodgers sweepstakes are the Jets. The short-lived Zach Wilson era has ended prematurely in New York, mostly because the Jets don’t have any time to waste.
Top to bottom, their roster is one of the best in the NFL, but subpar quarterback play – at best – held them back all season. Despite that, they still won 7 games with a mixture of Wilson, Joe Flacco, and Mike White under centre. That’s a testament to the talent on this team.
It deserves to be challenging for a Super Bowl right now. Mediocrity has hovered over the Jets’ franchise for too long. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2010 and haven’t had a winning season since 2015. New York is crying for a franchise quarterback, one who can win now. Other than Rodgers, it’s Jackson who again makes the most sense. The Jets can’t afford to throw money at him, but if Jackson has a vested interest in winning – and you have to assume he absolutely does, then it’s the perfect fit.
The Jets have an emerging superstar at wide receiver in Garrett Wilson, an excellent young running back in Breece Hall – once he returns from injury – a strong offensive line, and a play-caller that can find ways to utilize Jackson’s dynamic skill set. Plus, the defense is one of the best in the NFL to boot. So the load isn’t entirely on the offense.
2. Atlanta Falcons
Do the Falcons fit the bill of a team that’s just a quarterback away? Not exactly. But they also weren’t in that position when they tried to trade for Deshaun Watson last season. So, it’s clear that the Falcons would rather be set at the position and then build a team around whoever is under center. That bodes well for Jackson, and not only because the Falcons can make a splash and offer him a mega contract.
The offense already had one of the most dynamic running games with Marcus Mariota as the starter. Just think what Arthur Smith could create with Jackson as his franchise quarterback. The Falcons’ head coach was a key contributor to Ryan Tannehill’s success in Tennessee, and also had a hand in helping design the potent run game led by Derrick Henry. So, placing Jackson in a position to fully get the best of his skillset won’t be difficult.
Like the Raiders and Panthers, the Falcons have a top-10 pick but could be out of range for one of the big-name quarterbacks. They could have another electrifying prospect in Anthony Richardson, but Jackson is a sign of intent. The Falcons have felt like a passive franchise since their Super Bowl loss to the Patriots. They haven’t had a winning season in almost six years. They need to make a splash.
1. Baltimore Ravens
Not to be boring, but in all likelihood, staying with the Ravens remains Jackson’s most probable outcome this offseason. The Ravens have the option of slapping the exclusive or non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, which means if someone wants him, then they’re going to have to pay up. There’s a zero-percent chance Jackson hits free agency and, if he does, something has gone seriously wrong in the Ravens organization. It can’t happen, it won’t happen. Simple.
The two sides couldn’t find any middle ground on an extension during the season, with it being floated that the guaranteed money in the contract was a sticking point – and at one point, it was rumoured the two sides were $100 million apart. That’s not promising, but it’s also unconfirmed. Either way, signing Jackson to the franchise tag would at least give the Ravens another shot at signing him to a long-term deal.
If the Ravens want to keep Jackson around, they have to keep him happy. Firing offensive coordinator Greg Roman and replacing him with Todd Monken is a solid start. But it’s time to emphasize Jackson’s passing ability just as much as his ability outside the pocket and on the move.
Give him a real X receiver and lean into all of his skill sets. If anything, it makes sense because the two parties have had success together. When Jackson is healthy, the Ravens are a Super Bowl contender. He knows the city, the team, the head coach – everything. It’s not the manic free agency bidding war that everyone wanted, but it’s unlikely we’ll see Jackson on the move this off-season. The asking price alone might just be enough to make a team run the other way – but paying it would be worth it. Jackson is a generational superstar.
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @tvalentinesport
Photo: Keith Allison. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.