Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has officially requested a trade. The 2019 MVP has been looking for a new contract for quite some time now, and it’s clear that Jackson and the Ravens are not going to come to terms any time soon. While most teams have their quarterback situation in place, these five teams would make a lot of sense for the former first-round pick.
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Top 5 Lamar Jackson Trade Destinations, Ranked
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts quest for a franchise quarterback has hit yet another roadblock this season. The Carolina Panthers traded up to the first-overall pick, which all-but ensures that CJ Stroud and Bryce Young will go off the board with the first two picks. If general manager Chris Ballard isn’t sold on Anthony Richardson or Will Levis, then perhaps the team could go after a proven veteran that can help this team immediately start winning games.
Atlanta Falcons
Much like the Colts, the Falcons don’t have the draft capital to land one of the safer quarterback prospects. If the season started today, Atlanta would go into the season with Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke battling for the starting job, which is obviously not an ideal situation. Lamar Jackson is a perfect fit for the type of offense Arthur Smith wants to run and he could get this team to the playoffs pretty easily in a weak NFC South.
New England Patriots
While speaking to reporters, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft noted that rapper Meek Mill told him Lamar Jackson wants to be traded to the Patriots. Yes, that is real. Kraft said that Bill Belichick would decide whether or not to pursue Jackson, but the fact he didn’t immediately shut down the idea shows that the team isn’t sold on Mac Jones as the long-term answer under center. Lamar Jackson is a clear upgrade on Mac Jones, and the Patriots need the best quarterback they can get if they want to compete in what should be an incredibly competitive AFC East.
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins already utilized the fifth-year option on Tua Tagovailoa’s contract, which makes a trade for Lamar Jackson somewhat unlikely. However, if the Dolphins feel that Jackson is an upgrade, they could trade Tagovailoa for the 2019 MVP straight-up. After all, the Ravens will be in need of a quarterback without Jackson and Tagovailoa proved he can play last year.
New York Jets
The New York Jets want Aaron Rodgers, and Aaron Rodgers wants the New York Jets. However, until the Jets and Packers can agree to terms on a trade, nobody is going to get what they want. If the Packers continue to play hard ball, perhaps the Jets can pivot and trade for Lamar Jackson. After all, Jackson is a lot younger and is debatably just as good as the former four-time MVP, although the two quarterbacks have dramatically different styles. New York is reportedly not focused on Plan B at quarterback, but if the Rodgers is still a Packer when the NFL Draft starts, the Jets will need to start considering their other options.
Main Photo: Tommy Gilligan – USA Today Sports
