In the latest chapter of Lamar Jackson’s wild offseason, the quarterback is telling the world that he requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens earlier this month.
The star quarterback took to Twitter on Monday and offered a huge update about what his future may hold.
A letter to my Fans
I want to first thank you all for all of the love and support you consistently show towards me. All of you are amazing and I appreciate y’all so much. I want you all to know not to believe everything you read about me. Let me personally answer your questions
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) March 27, 2023
win the super bowl. You all are great but I had to make a business decision that was best for my family and I. No matter how far I go or where my career takes me, I’ll continue to be close to my fans of Baltimore Flock nation and the entire State of Maryland. You’ll See me again
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) March 27, 2023
As fans likely know by now, the Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson earlier this offseason. That move opened up some interesting possibilities for Baltimore and essentially guaranteed the team two first-round picks if it were to lose the quarterback this offseason.
However, if the Ravens were to trade Jackson, the situation would change drastically. Baltimore would no longer be guaranteed those two first-round picks as compensation for losing him.
To make this new development even more fascinating, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh still seems to think that Jackson isn’t going anywhere.
“I’m getting ready for Lamar. … When Lamar gets back on this train, it’s moving full speed.”#Ravens coach John Harbaugh, on his QB requesting a trade.
“We love him.”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 27, 2023
The 26-year-old quarterback is one of the most dynamic payers in the NFL today, as he’s both a solid passer and dangerous runner. Jackson already has an MVP award under his belt to go along with two Pro Bowl selections and one All-Pro nod.
Availability issues have unfortunately plagued the former first-round pick in recent years. In the 2021 season, he appeared in just 12 games, and this past season, he appeared in only 12 games once again.
However, his overall body of work speaks for itself, and when he’s healthy, he’s among the best in the NFL at his position.
In his MVP season (the 2019 campaign), he completed 66.1 percent of his passes for 3,127 yards and 36 touchdowns. On the ground, he went off for 1,206 rushing yards and seven scores.
It seems safe to say that the future is extremely murky for Jackson now. Teams like the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings have been linked to him.
Without a doubt, the Ravens would love to keep him around, but they suddenly have a big mess to clean up in order for that to happen.
Jackson has spent his entire NFL career with Baltimore so far. Time will tell if that’s about to change.
