Steelers' rival may've made a costly decision with their quarterback
Could an AFC North quarterback be on the move?
The franchise tag window has closed, and the Baltimore Ravens have made a decision on Lamar Jackson
Baltimore has placed the non-exclusive tag on their MVP quarterback. The tag is worth $32.41 million, but that's not what's important. Other clubs can now negotiate a long-term deal for Jackson and give the Ravens two first-round picks in exchange for his rights.
Any possibility of Jackson leaving Baltimore is fantastic news for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and every other team in the AFC North.
In his five years with the Ravens, Jackson has helped win 45 of his 61 starts. He became the league's MVP in 2019 when he threw for 3,127 yards and 36 touchdowns while also rushing for 1,206 yards and seven touchdowns.
While Jackson's history against the Steelers isn't spectacular by any means, the Ravens moving on without their star quarterback takes them back to the drawing board in the division.
Of course, Baltimore can match any offer Jackson intends to accept and keep him on the roster, but if both sides haven't come to an agreement by now, the odds of the team caving seem slim.
The Steelers are one year removed from drafting quarterback Kenny Pickett in the first round. The Pittsburgh alum ended his rookie season on a high note, winning six of his last eight starts and throwing just one interception to five touchdowns.
With the Ravens now in limbo, and Deshaun Watson still needing to prove himself in Cleveland, the Steel Curtain arguably has the second-best quarterback outlook in the AFC North. And with Joe Burrow's contract coming up, they will surely have the most affordable starter in the division.
Wherever Lamar lands will send shockwaves throughout the NFL much like what happened when Watson chose the Browns last offseason. The Steelers can very much benefit from a division that's more open than it was yesterday.
