The Baltimore Ravens are not going to trade Lamar Jackson. That’s the premise of what we’re about to talk about, and it’s something that needs to be repeated over and over again.
This should be an obvious notion to most, and maybe it is. But in recent days, there have been rumblings (that word is used generously) that the Ravens could, in some wild scenario, consider trading their star quarterback.
Of course, most will initially scoff at this idea as pure insanity. Jackson is a near-unanimous top-10 quarterback in the NFL, the face of the franchise, and at just 25-years-old he already has an MVP to his name.
Why would the Ravens consider trading him? In short, they wouldn’t, and they won’t. But a recent article posted by “KyleSmithForGM” of Hogs Haven attempted to explain why it makes sense.
Why the Ravens won’t consider trading Lamar Jackson
To give credit where credit’s due, if you’re going to write an article suggesting the Ravens could trade Lamar Jackson, this was likely the way to do it.
The author does a good job breaking down the financial and performance-based reasons why the Ravens could consider trading Jackson. They detail his potential cap hit while instituting that he’s not among the NFL’s elite quarterbacks and therefore shouldn’t get paid like one.
They argue that the Ravens could receive a hefty haul for Jackson and that trading him and recouping assets might be more beneficial to the franchise than paying him what he’ll be asking for.
It’s a well-thought-out argument, and this isn’t intended to bash them or their opinion. But simply put, it’s just not something that would ever happen, nor should it.
Jackson has proven that he can be one of the best quarterbacks in football, as he was just two years ago. He’s a 25-year-old top-10 QB who, when at his best, is a top-five quarterback in the NFL.
The arguments of “he can’t win in the playoffs” and “his playstyle could lead to injuries” are tiresome at this point. The Ravens’ lack of postseason success in recent years doesn’t fall solely on Jackson’s shoulders, just as their lone win isn’t a direct product of his performance either.
It’s a team game, and taking a four-game sample size and attempting to formulate an accurate narrative around it is just silly and counterproductive. Just because the Ravens haven’t made a deep playoff run with Jackson yet, doesn’t mean he’s incapable or that it’s even improbable.
This author wasn’t the only one to suggest a Lamar Jackson trade in recent days, however. This isn’t solely about them. Tony Lombardi of Russell Street Report recently suggested a similar notion, and he claimed there was some smoke from the Ravens organization about it.
Now, I’m not going to call into question any of that. The goal is not to disparage another person’s work — I can’t speak for what Tony knows. But I can disagree with some of his points.
"“He’s been an outstanding player, great teammate, selfless and accountable. But some things don’t add up including Lamar’s late season regression, the lack of any contractual movement and, despite the criticisms, the decision to retain Greg Roman as the team’s OC.”"
Greg Roman’s retention has next to nothing to do with Lamar Jackson. For as much criticism as he gets, the Ravens (mainly John Harbaugh) still believe that Roman is the right person to lead their offense.
There’s a lot of smoke from fans who want him fired, but there’s been no indication that the Ravens themselves are (or were ever) considering a change. That doesn’t have to do with Jackson.
As for the “lack of contractual movement,” it’s hard to say what’s held up extension talks. Perhaps it’s a money thing. Perhaps it’s complications brought on from Jackson’s lack of an agent.
Whatever it is, I find it hard to believe it’s because the Ravens are reconsidering if Jackson is the future of the franchise or not.
The bottom line is this: it’s the offseason. People are going to bring up talking points just for the sake of having stuff to talk about. That’s not a criticism either — it’s only natural, especially in this line of work.
Hypothetical conversations can be fun. We can very well look at the pros and cons of a Lamar Jackson trade and analyze why such a move would never happen. That’s all fine.
But if there’s anyone out there who seriously believes the Ravens could or should trade Lamar Jackson, then I suggest rethinking your stance.
It’s not going to happen, nor should it happen.