5 teams that already regret not acquiring Lamar Jackson when they had the chance

3. Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders made a rather stunning choice towards the end of the 2022 season. Despite being in playoff contention, they benched quarterback Derek Carr with hopes of preventing him from getting injured so they could pursue a trade. Ultimately, though, the Raiders would release Carr, who immediately signed a four-year, $150 million deal with the New Orleans Saints.

Given Carr's play, the Raiders regime of head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler had to find a replacement that fans could buy into and trust. The duo would sign Jimmy Garoppolo, another player with a link to the New England Patriots. That move would not pan out.

Garoppolo started just six games and missed two due to injury. After the team's 26-14 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 8, which ended with Garoppolo throwing for 126 yards and one interception while completing 10-of-21 pass attempts, McDaniels and Ziegler were fired. Linebackers coach Antonio Pierce was named interim head coach, and Garoppolo was benched in favor of rookie Aidan O'Connell.

So in seven appearances all season, Garoppolo threw for 1,205 yards, seven touchdowns, and nine interceptions while completing 65.1 percent of his passes.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter in December, the Raiders were one of the teams known to have inquired with the Baltimore Ravens about Jackson, but noted they weren't "overly aggressive" for the quarterback and didn't come close to signing him to an offer sheet.

Who knows how the season would have turned out for the Raiders had actually acquired Jackson? Would McDaniels still be the head coach? Would they have made the playoffs? We'll never know.