John Harbaugh is a known liar in his pressers
“Not as long as I’m the head coach.”
That was Titans coach Mike Vrabel’s response in his final 2021 interview when he was asked if there was a possibility that A.J. Brown could be traded.
Less than a year later, Brown can potentially be the difference-maker for the Philadelphia Eagles in their Super Bowl matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs.
New York Jets fans would do well to keep this in mind with regard to Lamar Jackson. The excitement and speculation regarding a potential Jackson trade died down when Ravens coach John Harbaugh stated there was a 200% chance the quarterback would remain in Baltimore.
This is the same John Harbaugh who told reporters that Jackson would be out for 1-3 weeks with his PCL sprain. Jackson ended up missing the final six games of the season.
Ask Ravens fans. Harbaugh is as candid with the Baltimore media as Robert Saleh is with their New York counterparts.
Therefore, there is a definite ring of truth around the report by NFL Network reporters Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport, and Mike Garofolo stating that the Ravens could still be tempted to trade Jackson for a haul.
Baltimore does not appear any closer to a long-term deal with their star quarterback. The franchise tag appears to be a pretty strong bet, although which type of tag remains uncertain. The Ravens can place the non-exclusive tag on Jackson (worth $32.416 million), allowing other teams to negotiate with Jackson and giving Baltimore the right to either match or receive two first-round picks as compensation.
The Ravens can also place the exclusive franchise tag on Jackson and continue to negotiate a deal with him. If they cannot come to an agreement, a tag-and-trade can be worked out. Jackson would have all the leverage, as he can simply refuse to sign the tag if he does not approve of the deal.
According to the report, the Ravens could definitely be tempted to trade Jackson in return for a windfall of picks. The starting point for negotiations would likely be the three first-round picks and two additional mid-rounders that the Texans received in return for Deshaun Watson.
The Jets have long been rumored as the top suitor for Jackson, with reports surfacing a few weeks ago that Joe Douglas would make an aggressive offer for the former MVP. Although the team has been linked with Aaron Rodgers in recent weeks, Jackson can also fit the description of the type of QB the Jets are seeking.
Jets owner Woody Johnson on their search for a veteran QB and if Aaron Rodgers is possibly on their radar: pic.twitter.com/FRnAOInWBx
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) February 10, 2023
The offseason has not even fully begun, yet this has already been another period of great QB drama akin to the 2021 speculation.
Who do you think your team ends up with, Jets fans?
