The Lamar Jackson saga hit a new level on Monday when he revealed that he requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens. That trade request came in early March before Baltimore had even placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him.
Now that Jackson has made his intentions clear and we are getting closer to the 2023 NFL Draft, his market could begin to heat up. Part of the lull could be strategic as well because the Ravens have the opportunity to match any offer sheet that Jackson signs. If they opt not to match, they will receive two first-round picks in return.
Looking to hold onto what are top-10 picks, many of the quarterback-needy teams aren’t currently showing interest in the former MVP. But, if an offer sheet is signed after the draft, the pick compensation will come in 2024 and 2025.
Alas, waiting that long is certainly risky. The number of interested teams could certainly skyrocket after the draft, so making a tag-and-trade deal before then could be the best course of action. That is exactly what Will Brinson of CBS Sports has the Indianapolis Colts doing in his most recent mock draft.
The Colts are firmly in the market for a new quarterback. But, with the fourth overall pick in the draft, they are in a tough spot. At least two of the teams ahead of them will likely select a quarterback and the Arizona Cardinals could trade out of No. 3, making it three teams selecting signal callers.
That is a worst-case scenario that the Colts should look to avoid. Instead of selecting the third or fourth-best quarterback in the 2023 draft class, they can ship that pick to Baltimore as part of a trade package. Brinson suggested the No. 4 pick and a conditional 2024 second-round pick, that can become a first with some performance incentives for Jackson.
Seeing Jackson running a Shane Steichen-led offense would be a lot of fun. Indianapolis is working to improve the offensive line and they have Jonathan Taylor leading the backfield, who was the best running back in the NFL in 2021.
While the passing game weapons could use some work, Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce would be a vast improvement over what the Ravens had Jackson working with most of his career. It would be a lot of fun to see the former MVP leading that offense and starting a new era in Indianapolis.
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