The Ravens QB would be a great acquisition, but it would be costly
There is still questions on who the Las Vegas Raiders’ quarterback will be in 2023.
There are several names that have been bandied about as the replacement for nine-year starter Derek Carr, who is no longer a Raider. One name, and it might be a pipe dream, is Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Jackson and the Ravens are far apart on a contract extension and until it is figured out, a trade is possible. If Baltimore is open to dealing him, the Raiders would surely be interested. Let’s look at the pros and cons of a Las Vegas pursuit of Jackson:
PROS
He’s a great player:
If you get a chance to add a player like Jackson, you try to do it. He is an upper-level quarterback with a league MVP under his belt. he would be a major upgrade over Carr and he would make this offense special.
He’s the best option:
There’s no guarantee the Raiders will upgrade from Carr this offseason. Many of the options come with question marks whether it’s age, talent level or the uncertainty that comes with the draft. Jackson is a known quantity with little risks when it comes to ability.
He would fix the position for years:
This wouldn’t be a stop-gap answer like Tom Brady would have been and Aaron Rodgers would be. Jackson, entering his sixth NFL season, turned 26 last month. He would be a long-term answer. If the Raiders trade for Jackson, they would be set at the most important position on the field for the next 10 to 12 seasons. That’s a game changer.
CONS
He would be expensive:
The reason why the Ravens may end up trading Jackson is not because they want to, it’s because Jackson, who acts as his own agent, and the team are extremely far apart on a new deal. He will want a monster, I mean, MONSTER, deal as part of a trade. It could hamstring the Raiders down the road.
Trade would hurt roster:
The price tag for Jackson simply wouldn’t be financial. The Ravens would want a ton in return. Las Vegas general manager Dave Ziegler recently noted that he wants to build through the draft. That, of course, comes less than a year after he sent first and second-round picks for receiver Davante Adams in his age-30 season. Jackson would very likely cost more. So, it would affect the roster for some time.
He can be injury prone:
Because he relies on his legs a lot, Jackson takes a lot of hits. He hasn’t played a full season and he missed five regular-season games in the past two seasons and he missed a playoff game this season. Will these issues continue to nag Jackson and cut his career short? It’s a concern.
Is he a fit for this offense?
Could Jackson and Raiders’ coach Josh McDaniels work out together? It’s no sure thing. But, if the Raiders add Jackson and McDaniels can’t get the most out of him, the coach will likely pay for it with his job. So, it would be up to McDaniels to make it work.
Conclusion:
There are risks involved, but if the Raiders have a chance to acquire Jackson, they have to seriously consider it.