The quarterback carousel was once again in full effect during the 2023 NFL offseason and some quarterbacks, such as Lamar Jackson, are still waiting for the ride to end. The former MVP had the non-exclusive franchise tag placed on him by the Baltimore Ravens but there has been zero movement on his market.
The only time anyone has discussed Lamar Jackson is representatives of franchises said their team will not be pursuing him. It has certainly been a bizarre offseason for him, as 26-year-old former MVPs who have won 73.8 percent of their starts would normally be in high demand.
Ending the last two seasons on the sidelines could certainly play a part as the injury-prone label could be placed on him. Representing himself and not having an agent also rubs some people the wrong way.
Eventually, Jackson will sign a deal with a team. Depending on how the 2023 NFL Draft shakes out, his market could pick up when it’s over if a quarterback-needy team does not land their target.
There are certainly a few teams that could use a quarterback upgrade, but most seem content with what they have. So, why not think outside the box a little bit and come up with a landing spot for Lamar Jackson?
One fun idea would be him landing with the Miami Dolphins. An executive that spoke to Mike Sando of The Athletic believes Lamar Jackson would fit in great on South Beach.
“Mike McDaniel probably would do great with Lamar. Maybe a Lamar-for-Tua trade makes sense.”
That would certainly be a blockbuster swap with the Ravens and Dolphins swapping franchise quarterbacks. But, it wouldn’t be as straightforward as a one-for-one swap. There would have to be other pieces involved to get a deal done.
What could a trade between the teams look like centered around Lamar Jackson and Tagovailoa? It has been speculated that multiple first-round picks would still have to be included to get a deal done.
With the inclusion of Tagovailoa, the Ravens would at least have a franchise quarterback under center. Something like him, a 2024 first-round pick and conditional 2025 second-round pick that can turn into a first with some incentives being reached by Lamar Jackson with the Dolphins could work for both sides.
The trajectories of both franchises would be changed drastically by this swap. The Ravens would have the draft capital to make a move for another quarterback should things not work out with Tagovailoa. At the very least, he will keep them competitive and on the cusp of being contenders in the AFC.
The Dolphins can get back to the ground game, which was the bread-and-butter of McDaniel with the San Francisco 49ers. Lamar Jackson would have elite weapons in the passing game in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle as well, so he could take his game to heights we haven’t previously seen.
