Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson announced that he has requested a trade, leaving Eric DeCosta looking for new options at quarterback. Perhaps the trade request was a long time coming. In the past couple of months, Jackson’s contract situation has spiraled out of control. The team’s non-exclusive franchise tag seemed like a masterstroke, but perhaps Jackson viewed it as disrespectful.
Either way, Jackson’s career in Baltimore appears to be coming to an end, despite saying that he expected to be a Raven for life last offseason. With Jackson leaving the team, where do the Ravens go from here? Do they still think they are contenders in the 2023 season without Jackson?
Of course, the hope is that Baltimore will find a way to keep Jackson in the end. However, this seems less and less likely. As such, now is a good time to look ahead and see who might succeed the former MVP in Baltimore.
In terms of compensation, Baltimore will surely be looking at something in the range of multiple first-round picks. The non-exclusive tag makes them good for at least two first-round picks so expect them to fetch something similar.
5 Options at Quarterback for Baltimore Ravens Post-Lamar Jackson
Anthony Richardson
The Indianapolis Colts could be a team to watch in the Jackson sweepstakes. If they acquire Jackson, expect them to have to sacrifice this year’s fourth overall pick. As such, Baltimore would be in a prime position to acquire one of the top quarterbacks in the 2023 NFL Draft, and Anthony Richardson would be an excellent acquisition. While Richardson is a very raw prospect, his jaw-dropping athleticism makes him an excellent fit in Baltimore’s new offensive system under Todd Monken. Richardson would be able to do some of the things that Jackson can do, and also has a crazily high ceiling. Monken did an excellent job of getting the most out of Stetson Bennett in Georgia and so Richardson would also be placed in a scheme that will not compromise him too much.
Drafting Richardson would be an aggressive move for Baltimore, but one that could pay off. They would get a decent long-term starter on cheap money and be able to build around him, such as by trading for DeAndre Hopkins. One concern might be that Richardson could be gone before the fourth overall pick. The Carolina Panthers are rumored to be ready to ‘surprise’ everyone with the first selection, making Richardson a real possibility there. If Baltimore are keen on Richardson, the best they would be able to do (in this scenario) is trade up with the Arizona Cardinals and pray that the former Florida Gator is available at third overall.
ANTHONY RICHARDSON FLIPPED A SWITCH 😱
(via @GatorsFB)pic.twitter.com/TItE8uVrEb
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 16, 2022
Tua Tagovailoa
The Miami Dolphins are another team that could be interested in Jackson. Despite picking up Tua Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option, it is no secret that Tagovailoa’s concussion history makes it hard to trust him as the long-term starter in Miami. Indeed, the team was interested in making a push for Deshaun Watson last year. In a deal with Baltimore, Miami could help the Ravens out by offering Tagovailoa as part of the deal.
Tagovailoa would be an interesting quarterback option for the Ravens and could certainly be a success. He has a bit of mobility and is widely considered to be one of the best ‘game managing’ quarterbacks in the NFL currently. As mentioned with Richardson, Monken would be able to design an offense that would keep Tagovailoa to his strengths, while also using his mobility. Tagovailoa would, however, be a downgrade for sure given his limited upside.
Trey Lance
Now Trey Lance could be a wild get for Baltimore. The San Francisco 49ers are unlikely to pursue Jackson (though do not rule them out). However, they appear to have a slight quarterback standoff this year between Brock Purdy and Lance. Purdy was San Francisco’s third-string quarterback last year but set multiple rookie records and rallied the team to the NFC Championship fixture. Many insiders and pundits believe that Lance could, therefore, have lost his job to Purdy already.
Last year, Lance missed the season after suffering an ankle injury. He was slated to be San Francisco’s starting quarterback of the future, but now it seems that Purdy has won the job. As such, the team could cut their losses and trade Lance while he is still valuable. While Lance’s trade value is unclear, it is possible that Baltimore could acquire him for pick 22, or a package of Round 2 and 3 picks despite San Francisco trading the house to draft him in 2021.
Baltimore would be an excellent fit for Lance. The former North Dakota State quarterback was viewed very similarly to Richardson during the draft process. He is still raw but has all the physical tools to succeed in the NFL. He also has some NFL experience in a winning locker room. In Baltimore, Lance would be given an unrivalled chance to play in a smashmouth offense that would utilise his mobility effectively.
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers wants to play for the New York Jets. And yet the trade still has not gone through. With Baltimore now opening their quarterback vacancy, could the former four-time MVP replace Baltimore’s MVP? It would be a bold strategy for sure, and one that puts full confidence in Baltimore to win it all this year.
Rodgers does not boast the same athleticism as the other players on this list. However, he is by far the most accomplished quarterback, and is seeking a trade from the Green Bay Packers. As it stands, the Packers are asking for a first-round pick, something that Baltimore could afford to give up for a franchise quarterback.
Would Rodgers fancy a move to Baltimore? It would depend. The Jets have already acquired most of his free agency wish list, suggesting that he would prefer a move there. However, if Baltimore could grab Odell Beckham Jr., that might change things. Rodgers would be a highly intriguing quarterback option and a statement of intent for the 2023 season from the Ravens.
Cam Newton
The final name on this list is another former MVP. Cam Newton looked washed in his last professional outing with the Panthers. Indeed, even when throwing at Auburn’s Pro Day, he looked a shell of himself. However, Baltimore could offer Newton an opportunity to start as a stop-gap quarterback for a year.
Newton’s playstyle is not too dissimilar from Jackson’s, meaning an entire scheme overhaul would not be necessary. And, should Newton not pan out, the Ravens would be in a prime position to select one of next year’s top quarterbacks (Caleb Williams and Drake Maye). Thus, Newton would make schematic sense, but would likely not lead Baltimore to any footballing success in 2023.
Insane throw from Cam Newton, who’s working at Auburn’s Pro Day. pic.twitter.com/fxqG1zGPSl
— Lance Dawe (@LanceDawe_) March 21, 2023
Three Dark Horse Quarterback Options for Ravens
While those five are the top candidates for Baltimore in 2023, there are a few names that are on the periphery. These dark horse candidates are unlikely to be options Baltimore but, should a few things change, could very well be in the discussion.
Kyler Murray
Let’s get crazy. Kyler Murray could be an outside shot to be Baltimore’s long-term starter. But did the Cardinals not recently pay him? Is Jonathan Gannon not keen for Murray to be the franchise quarterback? Does Murray not carry certain risks post-ACL and Meniscus tear? All these questions are justified. And yet, this trade could still happen.
The Cardinals’ appalling 2022 season ended with a total revamp of the staff. New GM Monti Ossenfort and new head coach Gannon are set to lead Arizona into a new era. Murray, for now, is part of that. However, given that he was Steve Keim and Kliff Kingsbury’s pick, it would make sense to let Ossenfort and Gannon choose their own quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft. If this is the plan, the team could opt to eat Murray’s dead money this year and deal him to Baltimore in order to still get some value out of him.
For Baltimore, this would be an astonishing get. While Murray struggled last year and has been scrutinised in the media heavily, he is still a very talented quarterback. Indeed, many would argue that Murray is the second best running quarterback in the league, behind Jackson. He also, arguably, has a better arm than Jackson. For those reasons, Baltimore trading for Murray would be fascinating.
Bryce Young
Regardless of where Jackson gets traded to, Baltimore will acquire a lot of draft picks. If it is the Colts, then great, Baltimore are in a decent position to nab Bryce Young if he slips through the fingers of the Houston Texans. Alternatively, Baltimore’s newfound draft capital could be used to make an aggressive push up the board to acquire Young. All of this is likely contingent on who the Panthers and Texans select at first and second overall.
Young would be a good fit in Baltimore, however. He has some athleticism and mobility, though not nearly as much as Jackson. However, he has an excellent processor and is a very NFL-ready prospect. He would be the perfect balance of rebuilding with a young quarterback while also being competitive in 2023 for the Ravens.
Stetson Bennett
Could Baltimore roll with a mid-to-late-round rookie as their starter? This would certainly be a dark horse quarterback option for the Ravens, but not necessarily a shocking one. Bennett played excellently under Monken in Georgia’s offense that won the National Championship and so reuniting the two could work wonders at the NFL level too. Bennett would likely be a Round 4-6 pick that would have to win the starting job in training camp. However, given his familiarity with Monken’s system, this might not be so unlikely.
Stetson Bennett is throwing darts in Indy. He’s making some money today. pic.twitter.com/75Oga429Vk
— Graham Coffey (@GrahamCoffeyDC) March 4, 2023
Main Photo: Sam Navarro – USA Today Sports
