Lamar Jackson trade request: 3 teams that need to get in

1. Lamar Jackson could be the face of the Houston Texans

In terms of a marriage between a franchise and player, the Houston Texans make a ton of sense for Jackson’s next home. Houston is clearly in the market for a quarterback after trading Watson prior to the 2022 season and is heavily scouting this year’s crop of quarterbacks.

While either Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud come be home run picks for Houston, the best case scenario for either player is developing them to be a star on the level of Jackson. No top pick is a guarantee of success (the New York Jets would like a do-over on Zach Wilson at No. 2 in 2021) but you do have a proven track record of success with Jackson, who was an NFL MVP just four years ago.

The Watson trade has also stocked the Texans with first-round picks as they own five over the next three years. That war chest would allow Houston to part with up to three first rounders and still have two top picks to add to their young roster, making a deal a strong consideration if Baltimore decides to shop Jackson prior to the draft.

Having Jackson on board would also give Houston a marketable star, something they thought they had with Watson before sexual assault allegations ended his tenure in disgrace. New coach DeMeco Ryans would love to have a star like Jackson to work with in the long term and Jackson’s presence would accelerate the time table for the Texans to become contenders again.