Lamar Jackson has shocked the NFL world by announcing that he has requested a trade off of the Baltimore Ravens. Many teams across the NFL could use a star quarterback to come in and help them in their Super Bowl quest, and one such team that has been linked to Jackson in the immediate aftermath of his trade request going public is the Detroit Lions.
The Lions missed the playoffs in 2022, but had an extremely encouraging season with Jared Goff as their quarterback. For the most part, Detroit doesn't seem too interested in moving on from Goff by swinging a deal for Jackson. But those feelings could quickly change, and it's clear that Jackson would be a significant upgrade from Goff.
Detroit has all the ammunition needed to pull off this deal, and with a lack of other teams across the league being very interested in Jackson, they could have a change of heart. If the Lions decide to make a big splash for Jackson, here's the perfect trade offer that could convince the Ravens to move on from their star quarterback.
Lions get: Lamar Jackson
Ravens get: 2024 first-round pick, 2025 first-round pick, 2024 fourth-round pick
This trade doesn't necessarily have to be super complicated. The Ravens made their intentions clear when they placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, which would allow an opposing team to sign him to an offer sheet in exchange for two first-round draft picks if the Ravens chose not to match the offer. While no one has made Jackson an offer sheet, the parameters for a potential trade were set in place.
Will the Ravens be looking to get more for Jackson in return here? Jackson, after all, is only 26 years old, and a proven stud quarterback, which cannot be overlooked here. Heck, he's already won an MVP in his career, and if he can stay healthy, he's one of the most dynamic players in the entire league.
But Baltimore's hands may be tied when it comes to a potential trade for Jackson. He's already made his trade request public, and there doesn't appear to be much interest in Jackson to this point. Jackson has injury concerns, is expecting a massive new contract, and may have opted to give up on the Ravens at the end of the 2022 season.
By setting a floor of two first-round draft picks here, the Lions, and any other team that wants to trade for Jackson for that matter, have the upper-hand in negotiations here. Baltimore has been a bit murky when it comes to their intentions with Jackson, but considering how they apparently knew of his trade request before placing the non-exclusive tag on him, it seems like they are open for business.
This trade package would assume that the Lions wait until after the 2023 NFL Draft to make a move for Jackson, which seems to be the precedent that many teams are abiding by currently. Detroit is in a great position to make a playoff push in 2023, regardless of whether or not they add Jackson, so there's no reason for them to get rid of their two first-round picks in 2023.
The Ravens will likely seek extra compensation aside from the two-first round picks, but it doesn't seem like they will be able to get very much. Tacking on an extra fourth-round pick in the 2024 draft could probably do the trick here, simply because there aren't many other teams that seem interested in trading for Jackson.
Detroit trading for Jackson right now doesn't seem inherently likely, but you never know what could happen in the NFL offseason. Jackson is a stud, and the Lions would undoubtedly be upgrading at the quarterback position by moving for him. This trade package may be a bit of an overpay, but the Lions are in a good position to make this deal if they feel so inclined, making it the perfect trade option for Detroit.
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