5 teams where Lamar Jackson can land up in 2023
Here are the top 5 landing spots for the Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson.
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Lamar Jackson (Images via SI)
Lamar Jackson is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league currently. The Baltimore Ravens QB is on the same tier as the league’s elite players such as Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen. But still, the 2-time Pro Bowl QB is struggling to reach a middle ground on his contract extension talks with the Baltimore-based football team.
There are differences between both parties in contract talks as the All-Pro quarterback wants fully guaranteed money and the Baltimore-based football team is hesitating to give that due to injury concerns. In fact, the talented QB has missed 10 regular season games in the last two years.
Moreover, this delayed contract extension puts Lamar Jackson right in the center of the quarterback pool in the upcoming off-season. According to multiple reports, the Ravens are considering placing the former league MVP under the non-exclusive franchise tag. If it happens, Jackson would be able to negotiate with other teams that are interested in him, which might lead him to sign with a new franchise. In this article, let’s take a look at five ideal landing spots for the dual-threat quarterback.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one of the most loaded rosters in the league. They are just short of a few key position players to be considered a contender. And the most important position is the quarterback. Since their star QB Tom Brady retired after the 2022 season, the Buccaneers are looking for a veteran quarterback to lead their franchise.
They have the former second-round draft pick Kyle Trask under contract, but they need an experienced QB under center. In addition, the Tampa Bay-based franchise boasts one of the best-receiving corps in the league. The dynamic duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin can do wonders if they get to play with the former unanimous league MVP Lamar Jackson. Besides, the Bucs have the draft capital to give up and they can work on their cap space to afford Jackson.
2. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders are in desperate need of a good quarterback to lead their club. The Raiders are in the AFC West division and have to face the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert a lot every season. To be successful in that division, the Raiders need a good leader and Lamar Jackson is exactly that.
Apart from their weak defense, the Raiders are loaded on the offensive side of the game. They have Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, and Darren Waller as the pass catchers and they just franchise-tagged their star running back Josh Jacobs. The Vegas-based team also recently moved on from their long-time franchise QB Derek Carr, so the team is certainly in the market for a QB and could certainly benefit from adding Lamar Jackson to their arsenal.
Now, the Pro Bowl QB won’t make the Raiders an immediate contender since they have so many holes to fill, but it’s a start. They can build around the quarterback in the future and can see some success.
3. Atlanta Falcons
The second NFC South team on the list is the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are probably the second-best landing spot for Lamar Jackson. The Atlanta-based football team has plenty of offensive weapons on its roster and most of them are still on rookie deals.
The Falcons can have been slowly building their team via Draft in the past few years now. If they can add a proven quarterback to their team, they will immediately become a playoff contender. The club had a record of 7-10 last season with Marcus Mariota as their signal-caller, so just imagine how good they could be with Lamar Jackson under center.
Besides, the Falcons have the second-highest cap space in the league after the Chicago Bears, so if anyone can afford to give Jackson the fully guaranteed money and not mess up their roster, it’d be the Atlanta Falcons.
4. Washington Commanders
Now, the Washington Commanders do not boast the same kind of offensive weapons as the other teams on the list. But WR Terry McLaurin alone will make a better wide receiver unit than anything Jackson has had so far.
The Commanders were in playoff contention most of the season last year and have a good overall team. The Washington-based franchise has gone through six different QBs since 2020 and still managed to win an NFC East title in that period. If they can just find some stability in that position, they will be a tough team to beat in the NFC. The Commanders rank 15th in cap space among 32 teams and have decent draft capital, so if they want Jackson they would be able to get him.
5. New York Jets
The New York Jets are the most ideal spot for the 26-year-old quarterback. In fact, the Jets almost have the perfect team to benefit any quarterback that chooses to play with. The New York-based franchise has multiple offensive weapons and a tough defense. They just have to polish their offensive line and find a quarterback to become immediately a Super Bowl contender.
Moreover, the Jets have a young core, and adding the young QB Jackson will help them to have long-term success. The Jets don’t have the luxury of a high cap space like the Raiders or the Falcons, but they can work around it if they want to rope in the talented QB.
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Aravind Raj
(2075 Articles Published)