We are just days away from the 2023 NFL Draft and there has still been virtually no movement in the Lamar Jackson market. The former MVP had the non-exclusive franchise tag placed on him earlier this season by the Baltimore Ravens, which allows him to speak to other teams. Despite that, more franchises have come out and said they won’t pursue him than said they would.
Per the non-exclusive tag, the Ravens would have the right to match any offer sheet that Jackson signs. If they opted not to, they would receive two first-round picks in return. Or, a tag-and-trade could be worked out for different compensation.
It is certainly an oddity as Lamar Jackson is as electrifying of a player as there is in the NFL. He would turn several franchises into instant playoff contenders as he has found a lot of success as a professional.
Given the current landscape of the league, there are more than a few teams who should be interested in acquiring him. Could we see something change with the draft on the horizon? Here are three teams who should be last-minute suitors for Lamar Jackson before the 2023 NFL Draft.
It is certainly peculiar that the Falcons are content going into the season with Desmond Ridder as their starting quarterback. They could certainly know something people outside of the organization don’t but when a former MVP that is only 26 becomes available, it is shocking a team such as the Falcons aren’t jumping to the front of the line to acquire him.
Atlanta came into the offseason with the second most cap space in the NFL, so accommodating a contract for Lamar Jackson would have been relatively easy. Not wanting to surrender a top-10 pick could have certainly been a deterrent, as that pick could be used to upgrade another area of need on the roster.
After back-to-back 7-10 seasons, the Falcons need something to push them further out of their rebuild. Adding Lamar Jackson to an offense that has Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson would certainly help.
The Vikings have been thinking about life after Kirk Cousins for the last two years. During the 2021 NFL Draft, had Justin Fields dropped to their spot in the order, they very well could have pulled the trigger. Before Anthony Richardson’s stock skyrocketed, Minnesota was a rumored landing spot for him.
Entering the final season of his contract, Cousins may not be long for Minnesota. Seeking a long-term option at the position, the Vikings could look to get creative and add Lamar Jackson to the mix.
It would be a complicated trade, but one that could certainly work out for both sides. The Ravens would remain competitive with Cousins as their starter, or he could be flipped for more assets to embrace a rebuild. The Vikings would have an insanely dynamic offense with Lamar Jackson as the quarterback surrounded by Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison, Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson.
The only team who has even made mention of potentially pursuing Lamar Jackson is the Indianapolis Colts. It is easy to see why they would have an interest as they have sought out a starting quarterback since Andrew Luck shockingly retired ahead of the 2019 season.
Stopgap veterans have been used since, as 2023 will make the eighth straight season a different player is under center for the Colts in Week 1. That is a streak they would like to snap while finding some continuity at the position.
How they handle the 4th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft will be telling of what their plans are. If they want a quarterback in this year’s class, it makes sense to swap picks with the Arizona Cardinals. If they stay pat, it could mean they have plans for after the draft to pursue Jackson and didn’t want to surrender a top-10 pick in a trade for him.
