Lamar Jackson has requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens and Patriots owner Robert Kraft has it on good authority he wants to play in New England.
Just as Baltimore coach John Harbaugh sat down at Monday morning’s AFC coaches breakfast at the Arizona Biltmore, Jackson released “a letter to my fans” on Twitter revealing that he had requested a trade out of Baltimore on March 2.
“As of March 2nd I requested a trade from the Ravens organization for which the Ravens has [sic] not been interested in meeting my value,” Jackson tweeted. “Any and everyone that’s [sic] has met me or been around me know[s] I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team win the super bowl. You all are great but I had to make a business decision that was best for [me and] my family.”
Kraft then revealed that rapper Meek Mill texted him three or four days ago and told him that Jackson wants to play for the Patriots.
“That’s Bill’s decision,” Kraft said at the NFL owners meetings, referring to head coach Bill Belichick.
Belichick wouldn’t entertain questions about possibly pursuing Jackson.
“I’m not gonna talk about players on any other team,” Belichick deadpanned.
But the Patriots’ coach does seem open to the idea of winning with any type of quarterback.
He was asked whether more mobile and running quarterback systems are here to stay — given the skill sets of modern college QBs — or if teams will keep seeking traditional pocket passers.
“I don’t know,” Belichick said. “I think whatever helps your team win games, whatever that is.”
One thing is clear for New England: if Aaron Rodgers is traded to the Jets, they will be starting Mac Jones in a division with Rodgers, Josh Allen and one of the league’s top receiving corps in Miami.
Not pursuing Jackson, especially after Kraft’s revelation, would be an enormous mistake.
The Ravens’ Harbaugh, meanwhile, didn’t blink despite being hit with Jackson’s blind-side blitz of an announcement. He took the news in stride and had his player’s back.
“You’ve got two sides that appreciate each other,” Harbaugh said. “Lamar believes in us, and we believe in Lamar. We know where we want to go. So if it’s a monetary thing, that can be figured out, that can be worked out. It’s just a matter of negotiating. It’ll work out. There’s always going to be ways to figure that stuff out.”
Former Ravens and Giants safety Tony Jefferson tweeted that in his opinion, “at this point it’s best Lamar and Ravens go their separate ways.
“It’s been a hell of a ride,” Jefferson said. “Lamar is the best talent I’ve seen or been around and someone whom players love to play for. It’s in [the] best interest for both sides to move in a different direction.”
The Vegas sportsbooks have teams like the Indianapolis Colts, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers listed as favorites to land Jackson if he’s dealt.
But Harbaugh refused to ride the wave of speculation. He insisted this situation is far from irreparable and gave Jackson a noteworthy compliment along the way:
“Lamar is a great guy, and he is doing a nice job with the negotiations,” Harbaugh said. “And I think that needs to be said.”
That comment was an important appeal from Harbaugh to support Jackson as a person amid a wave of scrutiny of the former MVP who is currently under an unsigned franchise tag with Baltimore.
Jackson’s absence of a certified NFLPA agent and desire for significant guaranteed money have been met with constant leaks and criticism from parties who don’t want to see the NFL’s boat rocked.
Headlining it all is Deshaun Watson’s $230 million fully guaranteed contract. Owners want that ill-advised deal to become an anomaly in the history of quarterback deals.
Quarterbacks like Jackson, who are better players and citizens and more accomplished than Watson, rightfully want to treat that as a new benchmark.
Some industry sources believe the NFL players’ union, which advises Jackson, is trying to blaze a new trail of representation and contract pathways using this situation, also.
So those people view any pushback as more of a league/owners vs. the union fight rather than the Ravens vs. Jackson.
But Jackson doesn’t seem as confident as Harbaugh that the Ravens will be able to pay him what he wants. So he has requested a trade.
And that can easily happen even though Jackson is under the franchise tag, which is designed to bring two first-round picks to Baltimore if another team signs Jackson to an offer sheet.
To trade a player under the tag, the player simply first has to sign his tender.
So here is hope a trade of Jackson could happen: the Ravens would hypothetically agree to compensate with the Colts first. Then, Jackson would sign the franchise tag tender, officially making him a Raven and therefore eligible to be traded by the club.
Another unanswered question, however, is what Jackson’s market looks like outside his current team.
Curiously, in early March, several teams publicly leaked that they were out on Jackson, including the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Miami Dolphins, Washington Commanders and Las Vegas Raiders.
Jackson has an injury history and a run-heavy playing style, so giving him too much guaranteed money surely is scaring some teams away.
No one has reported Jackson’s exact financial demands, though. And this is a 26-year-old recent MVP who — one could argue — would instantly turn most non-playoff teams into playoff teams the second they acquired him.
Jackson said a report that he had turned down $200 million guaranteed from Baltimore was inaccurate. He cited a three-year, $133 million fully guaranteed offer on the table as evidence that he doesn’t need an agent.
Harbaugh granted that trade conversations happen about players all the time. He did not say ‘no’ to a question about whether discussions might happen centered around Jackson.
“Everybody’s always talking about everything in this league,” the coach said, “so I’m sure things will be done the way they’re always done.”
Harbaugh’s overall message was supportive of Jackson, even after the quarterback’s coordinated statement put him on the spot.
“I don’t think Lamar keeps too much track of when the meetings happen and things like that,” Harbaugh said. “He might. I don’t read too much into that.
“I’m following it very closely just like everybody else is here and looking forward to a resolution,” the head coach added. “I’m excited, thinking about Lamar all the time, thinking about him as our quarterback. We’re building our offense around that idea, I’m just looking forward to getting back to football. And I’m confident that’s gonna happen.”
Jackson’s message to his fans, meanwhile, teased that he might end up playing elsewhere.
“No matter how far I go or where my career takes me,” he said, “I’ll continue to be close to my fans of Baltimore Flock nation and the entire State of Maryland. You’ll See me again.”