Lamar Jackson officially requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens on March 2nd. Which teams are the best fit for his services? This might not come as a shock to anyone that Jackson has officially requested a trade from the team that drafted him back in 2018.
The 2019 MVP has enjoyed a ton of success in the NFL, winning a boatload of his starts. With limited success in the playoffs and not being able to stay on the field towards the end of the season, he and the Ravens have not been able to come to an agreement on a long-term deal.
It does appear like Jackson will not play for the Baltimore Ravens again. Which teams are the best fits for the dual-threat player?
Where are the best fits for quarterback Lamar Jackson?
New England Patriots
The AFC East is poised to be a stellar division next year, especially when/if the Aaron Rodgers’ trade to the New York Jets is sorted out. The Miami Dolphins added Vic Fangio and Jalen Ramsey this offseason to reignite their defense, and the Buffalo Bills are still the Bills.
The New York Jets have a super talented roster, and if Aaron Rodgers somehow falls through, I have this weird feeling that Joe Douglas is going to find a way to bring in a legit QB. That leaves the New England Patriots, a roster with virtually no elite players and a good-not-great QB in Mac Jones.
Mac Jones is not going to win much being in this division or even this conference, so replacing Jones with Lamar Jackson makes sense to me. The Patriots, I think, are trying to recreate Tom Brady with Mac Jones, and it just won’t happen.
Go get Lamar, Bill.
Where are the best fits for quarterback Lamar Jackson?
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons could set themselves up nicely for the future with a Lamar Jackson addition. Arthur Smith is a competent offensive coach who hasn’t exactly worked with top-notch quarterbacks of Lamar Jackson’s caliber.
I’m sure Desmond Ridder is a nice guy, but if there’s any possibility that Jackson can be a Falcon, then that’s something the team should pursue. They’re in a crucial year and in a weak division in the NFC South.
Outside of the Carolina Panthers, who don’t have a quarterback, there isn’t a playoff caliber team in that division at the moment.
The Falcons tried to fix their defense this offseason with additions Jessie Bates III and David Onyemata, so if their defense can take step, their running game stays near the top, and Lamar Jackson finds himself wearing red and black, then I think they have a stellar team.
The Falcons are a bit rich with their cap space as well, so this is something that they can make happen.
Where are the best fits for quarterback Lamar Jackson?
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are another great fit for Lamar Jackson. In their first year under Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings ended up being one of the surprise stories of the year. On the backs of excellent coaching, they went 13-4 and won nearly every close game they were in.
However, they were one and done in the playoffs, and with Kirk Cousins entering his age-35 season and being a low-ceiling QB, it might make sense for the Vikings to take a chance like this.
Minnesota’s GM, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is going to take a large swing on a quarterback sooner or later. He and O’Connell are going to take this big swing in the near future, I bet. That’s just what NFL teams do. They want to get their own guys in the building, and that’s part of the reason why several veteran Vikings’ have been released and likely won’t be brought back.
With Minnesota evidently getting the right coaching staff in town, why not capitalize on that opportunity? The NFC North could get much more competitive in 2023 with the potential breakout season from the Lions and the Bears.
The Vikings might have to make a move for Lamar Jackson.