What an Atlanta Falcons Lamar Jackson trade package would look like
By Scott Rogust
If Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are unable to reach a contract agreement, what would it take for the Atlanta Falcons to acquire him in a trade?
The quarterback market this offseason is shaping up to be a chaotic one, and this comes one year after Russell Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos, Matt Ryan being dealt to Indianapolis Colts, and the Washington Commanders acquiring Carson Wentz.
Aaron Rodgers will either play for the Green Bay Packers, play somewhere else, or retire. Derek Carr is set to be traded or released by the Las Vegas Raiders. Jimmy Garoppolo enters free agency. Then, there’s the Lamar Jackson situation in Baltimore.
Prior to the start of this season, the Ravens and Jackson tried to reach an agreement on a new contract extension. But, an ESPN report indicated that Jackson turned down a five-year, $250 million contract extension, in which $133 million was guaranteed. Jackson is reportedly looking for a near fully guaranteed deal like Deshaun Watson received from the Cleveland Browns.
Jackson missed the team’s final six games of the season, including their Wild Card Round game, and is now set to be an unrestricted free agent. But, at their end-of-season press conference, the Ravens expressed confidence that Jackson will be the team’s quarterback for the foreseeable future? But what if that doesn’t happen? Could they trade their 2019 NFL MVP-winning quarterback?
One team that has been linked to Jackson in trade rumors is the Atlanta Falcons. What could it take for the Ravens to willingly give them Jackson?
What would it take Ravens to trade Lamar Jackson to Falcons?
The Falcons are set to have the second-most cap space entering the 2023 league year with $56.4 million, and they have draft capital at their disposal. But how much do you give up for Jackson. While yes, he is a top-10 quarterback, he has had injury concerns. Not only that, but he’s only going to be under contract on a franchise tag for the 2023 season. That could run to either $32.4 million on a non-exclusive franchise tag or a projected $45.2 million on the exclusive franchise tag. A team like the Falcons will have to negotiate a new deal.
So, if you are the Falcons, what do you give the Ravens for Jackson?
We would say a deal similar to what the Broncos gave the Seahawks for Wilson should suffice. After this season, Jackson has proven to be a better quarterback than Wilson. Not to mention, Wilson had two years left on his contract at the time of that trade. Jackson is technically going to be a free agent at minimum, or a franchise-tagged player. We believe two first-round picks should at least included in the deal.
You can also throw in two second-rounders the next two years, much like in the aforementioned Wilson trade.
Will the Ravens actually trade Jackson? Let’s just see how contract talks between the Ravens and Jackson progress throughout the offseason.