What was the likelihood of the Patriots signing Lamar Jackson last offseason? Bill Belichick weighs in
It seems so long ago, but the current MVP favorite had a chance to join the New England Patriots last offseason. Before Lamar Jackson signed a five-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens worth $260 million with $185 million guaranteed, the quarterback had actually requested a trade in March. And with that, the speculation began, with the […]
It seems so long ago, but the current MVP favorite had a chance to join the New England Patriots last offseason.
Before Lamar Jackson signed a five-year contract with the Baltimore Ravens worth $260 million with $185 million guaranteed, the quarterback had actually requested a trade in March.
And with that, the speculation began, with the Patriots being one of the teams that were rumored to be interested. On Tuesday, Bill Belichick addressed this possibility for the first time.
"There's a lot of things that go on in the offseason. Each player has his own story. But, look, in Lamar's case… there was a lot of, I would say, there would have been a lot of moving parts on that one anyway," Belichick said on WEEI's The Greg Hill Show. "But you know, I'll discuss the players that are on the team, not the ones that aren't on it.
"I mean, there's a lot of players out there that were available. They're always available during the offseason," he added. "We talked to some of the players, some of the agents and all that. But those are all… those conversations are on a whole other level. So, stick to the guys that are here."
Jackson has been unstoppable since entering the league in 2018, and it's clear that Belichick took notice.
Heading into last offseason, Jackson had finished the 2022 season with 203 completions for 2,242 passing yards and 17 passing touchdowns. He also had 112 carries for 764 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.
However, this season is the best of his career. The Ravens quarterback currently has 307 completions for 3,678 passing yards and 24 passing touchdowns along with 148 carries for 821 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. His efforts have allowed Baltimore to earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC, getting the first-round bye in the playoffs.
Clearly the Ravens made the right decision.
Jackson's skillset is unique, so it's no surprise that Belichick, who is arguably the greatest coach in the history of the NFL, would be interested. But the Ravens re-signed him and the Patriots were forced to move on.
So, as usual, Bill Belichick isn't going to talk about any hypotheticals.
Bill Belichick addresses key questions regarding future with Patriots
Nothing new from Bill Belichick.
