The Lamar Jackson saga has now reached critical mass, as the quarterback announced Monday via Twitter that he had requested a trade away from the Ravens.
Jackson revealed that the request had been made on March 2, two weeks ahead of free agency. He detailed in the tweet that the two sides remained far apart on a contract extension even after two years of negotiations.
That's what is leading the 26-year-old to seek out a fresh start.
MORE: Lamar Jackson explains why he is seeking a trade in Twitter thread
The Ravens don't appear to have given up on Jackson yet, as coach John Harbaugh said at the NFL's annual owners' meetings that Baltimore planned on starting Jackson in 2023. Harbaugh also said that he still had a positive relationship with the team's five-year quarterback.
That said, there is no guarantee that Baltimore will trade Jackson, who was slapped with the non-exclusive franchise tag during the 2023 NFL offseason. But if Jackson refuses to play for Baltimore or holds out, the team could be forced into a move.
So, which NFL teams could be interested in trading for Jackson now that his demand has been made public? There are no shortage of teams that could be assisted by his services, though some stand out as a potential fit more than others.
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Lamar Jackson landing spots
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts have needed a long-term answer at quarterback since Andrew Luck's surprise retirement ahead of the 2019 NFL season. They have had a different Week 1 starter in each of the last four seasons since his retirement, so Jackson would help give the team some consistency at quarterback.
It also helps that the Colts have the resources needed to swing a deal for Jackson. They have the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft — an asset that the Ravens would likely covet in a trade — and $20.1 million in cap space, per OverTheCap.com. So, they could figure out a way to fit Jackson under the salary cap with relative ease.
Jackson profiles as a strong fit for Shane Steichen's offense as well. Jalen Hurts had a lot of success operating it in Philadelphia, and Jackson would provide similar mobility and explosiveness at quarterback.
Indianapolis also is one of the few teams that didn't immediately rule itself out of the Jackson sweepstakes once the Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him. As such, the Colts may hold at least some interest in the Baltimore signal-caller.
All that's to say that the Colts are undoubtedly the top fit for Jackson at present. Unless they are in love with one of the quarterbacks atop the 2023 NFL Draft, then they should try to make a move to acquire the 2019 NFL MVP. We'll soon see if they do.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have been linked to Lamar Jackson in recent months during Jackson's contract dispute.
Why? Because coach Bill Belichick was effusive in his praise of Jackson before the two teams squared off early in the 2022 NFL season.
Belichick said that he believed Jackson had "without a doubt" silenced critics of his performance in the pocket ahead of the Patriots-Ravens Week 3 matchup.
"It's the type of the player, the MVP type of candidate," Belichick said of Jackson. "I think he's more than answered them. But, we'll see what his contract is, that will answer them."
So, Belichick certainly seems to like Jackson and believes that he is talented. But is that enough for the Patriots to consider acquiring him? The team is currently moving with Mac Jones as its starter for a third consecutive season. New England brought it Bill O'Brien to fix its offense after the Matt Patricia experiment predictably failed.
Jackson is clearly better than Jones, so that possibility can't be ruled out. But in typical, Belichickian fashion, the coach is playing it close to the vest.
"I'm not going to talk about players on another team," Belichick said after Jackson's trade request was made public, per NFL Network's Mike Giardi.
New York Jets
The Jets are all in on Aaron Rodgers and have been in recent weeks. But as that trade saga drags on, could they get involved in the pursuit of Jackson as well? It's possible.
Jackson would cost far more than Rodgers, but he is 13 years younger than the long-time Packer and wouldn't be a retirement risk. Would acquiring a player who has missed time due to injury in recent seasons be a risk? Sure.
But is it any riskier than trading for a player who could retire after just one season with the team? That's at least debatable.
At the very least, the Jets should check in on Jackson for two reasons. First, they have a glaring need at quarterback given their pessimistic view of Zach Wilson.
Robert Saleh said at the NFL owners' meetings that Wilson, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, would be the Jets' No. 2 quarterback in 2023, per Connor Hughes of The Athletic.
Second, the Jets could gain leverage over the Packers by engaging in trade talks surrounding Jackson. So even if the Jets prefer Rodgers, New York should still get involved with Baltimore to see if it can drive down Green Bay's asking price ever so slightly.
And if they prefer Jackson, the Jets can take a big swing at getting the young, talented quarterback.
That said, general manager Joe Douglas indicated that isn't going to happen at the NFL's owners meeting.
"It would be disingenuous and negotiating in bad faith if we went down that path," he told reporters. "Right now, we have our plan, we have our process and we're sticking to that."
Joe Douglas says the Jets have not discussed pursuing Lamar Jackson:
— Jets Videos (@snyjets) March 27, 2023
"It would be disingenuous and negotiating in bad faith if we went down that path. Right now, we have our plan, we have our process and we're sticking to that." pic.twitter.com/6zmd3yNIjC
Certainly, that makes sense. But if the two sides reach an impasse, don't rule New York out of the Jackson sweepstakes.
MORE: Robert Saleh not worried about Aaron Rodgers to the Jets trade delay
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were considered one of the top teams that could pursue Jackson after he was given the non-exclusive franchise tag during the offseason. Instead, they quickly revealed that they were not going to pursue Jackson.
For now, Atlanta looks ready to roll with Desmond Ridder as its starter and Taylor Heinicke as the backup. The Falcons seem high on Ridder's potential, but perhaps if they believe they have a legitimate shot to land Jackson, they will change their tune and target him.
Jackson would be a great fit in Arthur Smith's run-heavy offense. He would provide the team with a scrambling threat at quarterback and one who could help take advantage of the strong offensive line in front of him, which excels in run blocking.
The Falcons also have $21.9 million in cap space, per OverTheCap.com, so like the Colts, they can afford to give Jackson a big-money contract.
Perhaps that won't be enough to sway the Falcons; but given the wide-open nature of the NFC South and the general lack of top-tier quarterbacks in the conference, Terry Fontenot could be willing to make a deal to jumpstart Atlanta's rebuild.
Detroit Lions
The Lions could be a great landing spot for Jackson. They have two good, young receivers in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams who would give the quarterback two top-tier pass-catchers with which to work.
Detroit also has an elite offensive line, one that would make Jackson's running ability stand out significantly. He wouldn't have to take as many hits, and that could help to keep him healthy long-term.
Detroit also has two first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft — Nos. 6 and 18 — to include in any potential trade for Jackson. And they are armed with nearly $24.9 million in cap space, per OverTheCap.com.
So, why wouldn't the Lions trade for Lamar Jackson? Well, unlike some of the other teams on this list, Detroit has an answer at quarterback. Jared Goff has performed solidly for the Lions, so that may be enough for them to stand pat and hope that he can continue to be effective in Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson's offense.
Goff would come cheaper than Jackson, so if the team likes him enough, they could keep him while preserving their cap space and draft assets as they load up for a potential playoff run in 2023.
Washington Commanders
The Commanders are rolling with Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett at quarterback in 2023. Howell's upside and Brissett's solid track level and experience give that duo some promise, but there's no question that Jackson would be a proven upgrade over the two.
As good as Howell looked against the Cowboys last season, he still has only made one start at the NFL level. Meanwhile, Brissett has largely posted good numbers during his NFL career, but he has a record of just 18-30 as a starter. That may not be ideal for Ron Rivera and Co. as they sit on a hot seat.
All that said, Jackson could be a proven, exciting upgrade for the Commanders who could help them get over the hump in a wide-open NFC. At the very least, he would make them more competitive in a division that saw three teams make the playoffs last season.
The issue with the Commanders acquiring Jackson, however, is that the team may be sold imminently. Without a new ownership group in place, it could be difficult to acquire Jackson and pay him a deal worth up to a quarter of a billion dollars. So, Washington may have to sit this one out, unless something changes.
MORE: NFL free agency grades 2023: Ranking signings, trades for all 32 teams
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings have been bandied about as a potential landing spot for Jackson in recent weeks. On the surface, it doesn't make a lot of sense considering that the team already has Kirk Cousins at quarterback.
Yes, Cousins is set to be a free agent after the 2023 NFL season, and he will be entering his age-35 season. So, the Vikings may be willing to move onto a younger alternative that can add another dimension to their offense, and Jackson would qualify as one.
Jackson is more mobile than Cousins and would help jumpstart the team's running game. He would also get a chance to work with a true top-tier receiver in Justin Jefferson, something that never came close to happening in Baltimore.
So, if the Vikings are willing to pay Jackson long-term, they could try to get him, right?
Not so fast. The Vikings have less than $1 million in cap space and wouldn't gain any by parting with Cousins, who has a dead cap hit of $48.75 million in 2023 thanks to the four void years on his contract. That makes it very hard for them to afford Jackson.
As such, this is more of a pipe dream for Vikings fans than anything else.
Lamar Jackson odds for next team
It shouldn't surprise anyone to see that the Colts are the odds-on favorite to land Jackson.
Below is a look at the odds for Jackson's next team, according to Odds Shark.
| Team | Odds |
| Colts | +225 |
| Patriots | +450 |
| Falcons | +600 |
| Lions | +650 |
| Buccaneers | +800 |
| Jets | +900 |
| Panthers | +1000 |
| Commanders | +1000 |
| Titans | +1000 |
| Packers | +1000 |
| Dolphins | +1000 |
| 49ers | +1500 |
