The Baltimore Ravens would have considered picking quarterback Will Levis in the first round of the recent NFL Draft had one thing not happened, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
The former Penn State and Kentucky QB ended up getting selected by the Tennessee Titans in the second round, having embarrassingly slipped from the first. However, the Ravens could have taken him off the board at No. 22 overall if they didn’t agree to an extension with Lamar Jackson prior to the draft.
Jackson signed a five-year deal worth $260 million last week, having come to terms with Baltimore ahead of the draft.
“In the absence of a Lamar Jackson deal by the start of the draft, I believe, after asking around, that the Ravens would have considered quarterback Will Levis with the 22nd overall pick,” Fowler noted. “Finalizing a deal for Jackson before Thursday night was prudent for Baltimore, which could implement the possibility of drafting a passer as leverage.”
The Ravens had an edge in their negotiations with the quarterback as the possibility of drafting another signal-caller could have been used as leverage. The market was clearly cold on Jackson, which also played into their hands.
Had the draft gone by, QB options would have been slim, shifting the power back to Jackson. Fortunately for both parties and Ravens fans, one of the longest-running sagas in the NFL is over, with the former MVP now locked in long term.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
The QB is now keen on breaking the passing yards record set by Patrick Mahomes last season, but that’s going to be a tall task.
As for Levis, he’s going to have an opportunity to battle for a starting role in Tennessee’s offense.
