Lamar Jackson to the Lions is looking more real than ever
Last week, the Detroit Lions emerged as a betting favorite to land Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Jackson, the 2019 NFL MVP, had the non-exclusive franchise tag placed on him earlier this month by Baltimore. The former Heisman Trophy winner, however, has yet to sign the franchise tag. As a result, other teams can negotiate […]
Last week, the Detroit Lions emerged as a betting favorite to land Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Jackson, the 2019 NFL MVP, had the non-exclusive franchise tag placed on him earlier this month by Baltimore.
The former Heisman Trophy winner, however, has yet to sign the franchise tag. As a result, other teams can negotiate with Jackson.
If Jackson signs with another team, the Ravens would be owed two first-round picks (if they don't match the offer).
The Lions could sign Jackson to replace Jared Goff and retain the No. 6 overall pick in this year's draft. That's because the No. 6 pick originally belonged to the Los Angeles Rams. Detroit would send their original pick (the No. 18 overall pick) to Baltimore along with a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
What makes this scenario seem a bit more real is that Jackson appears to be on his way out of Baltimore after his comments on Monday morning.
Jackson took to Twitter to reveal that he requested a trade on March 2.
It doesn't appear that Jackson has any interest in returning to Baltimore. And because the Ravens would automatically get two first-round picks for Jackson if he signs elsewhere, it doesn't make much sense for them to try to negotiate a trade (which would be tough since Jackson hasn't signed his tag…it would require a lot of trust on both sides).
The Lions make a ton of sense here. Jackson is a superstar whereas Goff has been a nice bridge quarterback for Detroit. It's extremely rare that a franchise quarterback becomes available. Signing Jackson would put the Lions' offense over the top and make them the instant favorites in the NFC North.
Detroit's roster is already in a pretty good spot. Signing Jackson would be more than worth the No. 18 overall pick in this year's draft and what should be a late first-round pick in next year's draft.
The only debate here should be what kind of offer the Lions make Jackson. And because he doesn't have a litany of good options right now, the Lions would have a small amount of leverage in negotiations.
Detroit has a golden opportunity to improve its odds of reaching the Super Bowl this upcoming season. They can't let this opportunity pass them by. Otherwise, they'll regret it for years to come.
