There are going to be a lot of eyes on quarterback Lamar Jackson this off-season. One of the most electrifying players in the NFL is set to hit free agency, but it is anyone’s guess if he will truly be available on the market.
The Baltimore Ravens will have the ability to place the franchise tag on him and it would be shocking if they didn’t utilize that. It would enable them to exclusively negotiate a long-term contract with Lamar Jackson, which they have been doing for years and have been unable to come to an agreement.
The negotiations for his contract are something that will not only impact the Ravens but other franchises around the NFL. There is a chance that Lamar Jackson can reset the quarterback market on his next deal, especially if he is not given the franchise tag and is truly an unrestricted free agent.
In that scenario, his market would be robust. PFF is projecting him to land a five-year contract for $260 million with $208 million guaranteed. That would put him near the top of the league in AAV, something that he quite frankly has earned with his performance.
There aren’t many teams in the NFL that can afford a cap hit like that currently, but if they caught wind that Lamar Jackson was available, they would make the necessary changes to sign him. One avenue that can be taken is the tag-and-trade. It was what the Green Bay Packers did with Davante Adams in 2022 before trading him to the Las Vegas Raiders.
If that is a real scenario, the Indianapolis Colts are a team to keep an eye on. Desperate to find a long-term answer at the quarterback position since Andrew Luck’s retirement in 2019, Lamar Jackson would be a great fit for the franchise.
Indianapolis has some pieces in place already that the offense can be tailored to Lamar Jackson’s unique skill set. Jonathan Taylor looked like one of the best running backs in the NFL before injuries derailed him in 2022. Michael Pittman Jr. would likely be the best wide receiver that he has ever had at his disposal. Before some struggles in the last two seasons, the Colts also had the best offensive line in the NFL.
General manager Chris Ballard has shown in the past he isn’t afraid to get aggressive when it comes to making trades for quarterbacks. He acquired Carson Wentz in 2021 and Matt Ryan last season, but neither panned out.
To garner the attention of the Ravens, the Colts have a valuable asset in the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to start negotiations with. If Indianapolis wants to get super aggressive, they can then add a first-round pick in 2024 and multiple second-round picks in 2023 and 2024 to try and seal the deal.
Four draft picks are a steep price to pay, but the Colts aren’t too far off from being contenders. They were considered dark horse Super Bowl contenders in 2022 but Ryan’s ineffectiveness on offense tanked the team. If they still feel they are in that kind of position, it would be a worthwhile risk to unload a huge trade package to land one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.
