Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Ravens Linked to Wild Lamar Jackson Trade Rumor

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Anthony Miller | Last updated Jan 19, 2026 4:04 PM ET

With a new era of Baltimore Ravens football about to begin, that could signal not only big changes in the coaching staff, but also on the roster as well.

The Ravens moved on from John Harbaugh as the head coach, as they have been interviewing for two weeks, but what does it mean for quarterback Lamar Jackson? ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio discussed a rumor going around that the Las Vegas Raiders might make a play to trade for Jackson.

"In theory, the Raiders and the Ravens (or anyone else and the Ravens) could agree to the terms of a Lamar Jackson trade at any time, with the understanding that it will be finalized on March 11, the first day of the league year. If Brady wants to take a big swing and if Jackson is ready to take his bat and ball to a new city, it’s something to keep an eye on."

What would a Lamar Jackson trade mean for the Ravens?

Number one, this would obviously mean that with Jackson out of the picture, the Raiders would have to give up their number one overall pick as part of the deal. That would open the door for the Ravens to make the selection everyone would want.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

"The first pick, which would give the Ravens a straight shot at quarterback Fernando Mendoza (or the ability to re-trade the pick for a king’s ransom), for the two-time MVP who is now 29 and often injured," Florio said.

Baltimore would get their franchise quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, and would be in a much more comfortable, stable franchise than the Raiders. Mendoza would have Derrick Henry in the backfield and could throw to Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews in the passing game.

The Ravens could also use the number one overall pick to keep adding more draft picks to bring more youth to the roster. Specifically, this would help an aging defense that could use more young players, and Baltimore could lean more on that side of the ball to carry the offense, as in the Ray Lewis and Ed Reed days.

Should the Ravens actually pull the trigger on losing a franchise quarterback like Jackson? That's a tough question to answer, but it would depend on whether the assets are returned as part of the trade. Jackson would command a high price to acquire him from the Ravens, so Baltimore could set their future up well without him; it's a matter of whether it's worth the risk or not.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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