Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson could be the top name available in 2023 free agency, should he actually hit the open market.
Of course, it’s hard to envision a scenario where Jackson leaves the Ravens in 2023. And if that actually does happen, a trade is surely a lot more likely as opposed to him hitting the free agent market.
In a new column at The Washington Post, NFL insider Jason La Canfora explained that a trade could be the only option for Jackson and the Ravens:
“The Ravens will place an exclusive rights franchise tag on Jackson early in the offseason (projected to be in the neighborhood of $45 million fully guaranteed), and if the sides cannot come to a long-term deal by April — I’d be quite surprised if they did — then prepare for Lamar Jackson Trade Rumor Szn to be in full force as we head toward the draft.”
One NFL executive also told La Canfora that they believe Jackson “has as much leverage now as ever”, citing how much the team has struggled without the 2019 league MVP on the roster:
“Not playing is the best thing for him for the contract,” the executive said to La Canfora. “They can’t score without him. That’s not a great team. That’s not a great roster. But they win a lot of games because of him.”
The Ravens went 7-5 in games started by Jackson a year ago, and 1-4 in games he missed. Jackson led the Ravens to an 8-4 start before suffering a knee injury, and they’re 1-1 without him this season.
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The 25-year-old reportedly turned down a $250 million offer from the Ravens earlier this year. Needless to say, his contract situation with Baltimore bears watching over the next several months.
