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The Baltimore Ravens may be in for a monumental shift this off-season as the 2023 NFL Regular Season gets closer and closer.
Early on Monday morning (3/27), Ravens superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson announced on his Twitter that he requested a trade from the team. Jackson said that this took place on March 2.
In a three-tweet thread on Twitter, Jackson explained his love for the city of Baltimore, “You all are great but I had to make a business decision that was best for my family and I.”
The tweet came from Jackson while Ravens head coach John Harbaugh was meeting with the media, causing Harbaugh to be bombarded with questions on the topic.
While Harbaugh did acknowledge the matter, he told members of the media that the situation is something that he would like to keep private. The longtime Ravens head coach said that he still expects Jackson to be the team’s starting quarterback next season:
“I’m getting ready for Lamar. … When Lamar gets back on this train, it’s moving full speed.”
While Jackson — entering his sixth season — does want to be traded away from the Ravens, the team placed the franchise tag on him. It does make him eligible to sign with another team, but as of right now, that seems unlikely.
Any team that would agree to an offer sheet with Jackson must also agree to send two first-round picks to Baltimore if the Ravens decide not to match the offer-sheet. Baltimore, as mentioned before, can also just match the offer-sheet — sending Jackson back to the Ravens with the contract that he agreed to with the other team.
A trade for Jackson would also likely be complicated due to the franchise tag. Negotiations would likely START at a price of two first-round picks due to the franchise tag rule.
For reference, the Houston Texans traded Deshaun Watson to the Cleveland Browns last season in exchange for 3 first-round picks, a third-round pick, and a fourth-round pick. Compared to Watson, Jackson has won an MVP and Watson has not, but the concern with Jackson is his body’s durability in his play style.
As for potential suitors for Jackson, the Colts have quietly positioned themselves at the front of the sweepstakes, but when an MVP winner and elite-level quarterback becomes available for trade, anything is possible. Don’t be surprised if a team you didn’t think about enters the race for Jackson.
