NFL rumors: Teams interested in Lamar Jackson under 1 condition

Here is what it will take for any team to trade for Lamar Jackson with the Baltimore Ravens.

The Baltimore Ravens used the non-exclusive franchise tag on Lamar Jackson, but few, if any, NFL teams are willing to part ways with two first-round picks for him.

Baltimore was rather sneaky in using the non-exclusive tag for this reason. It is smart in the sense that other teams can create a market for him so the Ravens do not have to. Negotiating with Jackson has been beyond pulling teeth, so it is understandable what the Ravens are doing here. Conversely, there is a reason why so many teams are out of the Jackson sweepstakes initially.

It might be the two first-round picks going Baltimore’s way, but it is actually the five-day period the Ravens have to match any offer sheet. This is why teams that are secretly interested in Jackson would prefer to trade for Jackson outside of the constraints put forth by the non-exclusive tag. ESPN’s Dan Graziano said it as such within his latest insider article about the overall situation.

"“Based on the conversations I’ve had, there are teams interested in pursuing a potential [Lamar] Jackson trade if he decides he wants out of Baltimore, but I don’t know that you’ll see anyone submit a formal offer sheet that puts two first-round draft picks at risk if the Ravens don’t match. I think teams would rather talk to the Ravens about a more traditional trade, though of course they’d also at some point have to talk to Jackson because he’d have to sign the franchise tender before he could be traded.”"

Franchise tags be damned. Let’s make a deal, shall we? Would this even work out in the end?

Baltimore Ravens could trade Lamar Jackson outside of non-exclusive tag

Baltimore is a well-run organization for a reason. The Ravens think of things dumber franchises do not. However, they have a tendency to be somewhat of control freaks, but to each their own. It does serve them to non-exclusively tag Jackson to help create a market, but when one suitor after another decides it does not want to play ball, then the Ravens will have to get their hands dirty.

Surely, there are a bunch of craptastic teams out there in dire need of a quarterback. And frankly, it’s not really about the two first-round picks either, because you’ll quickly forget you even have them in the first place if Jackson joins your team and balls out. It is 100 percent about not being able to participate in free agency for five days, hoping the Ravens don’t match and screw you over.

Yes, Jackson will need to sign the tender to be traded first, but perhaps there is a way to strike a deal the good, old-fashioned way. To be totally transparent, this has everything to do with Jackson’s wishes to stay in Baltimore. If he is down, then Baltimore has all the leverage. Should he want out, Jackson has a bit more control in this than the Ravens would ever like to hope to admit.

If Jackson were to be traded this spring, it is probably not going to be done like Baltimore intended.