Vikings Now 2nd in Line to Land Lamar Jackson
Dustin Baker
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With a couple of tweets Monday, Lamar Jackson spiced up his own trade sweepstakes, seeming to punctuate a five-year run with the Baltimore Ravens.
Jackson tweeted, “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.”
Vikings Now 2nd in Line to Land Lamar Jackson
“Let me personally answer your questions. in regards to my future plans. As of March 2nd, I requested a trade from the Ravens organization for which the Ravens has not been interested in meeting my value, any and everyone that’s has met me or been around me know I love the game of football and my dream is to help a team win the super bowl,” Jackson continued in the post.
Jackson won the 2019 NFL MVP award but has fallen injured in back-to-back seasons, 2021 and 2022, hampering the Ravens playoff pushes. He didn’t play in a Wildcard loss to the Cincinnati Bengals two months ago and failed to qualify for the postseason in 2021 because of lingering injuries.
He finished the lengthy tweet with a goodbye, “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.”
And with the “he gone” commotion, Bookies updated odds for the Lamar Jackson sweepstakes. Via trade, the Minnesota Vikings are second in line to acquire the 26-year-old:
- Tennessee Titans: +400
- Minnesota Vikings: +450
- Baltimore Ravens: +500
- New England Patriots: +500
- Indianapolis Colts: +750
- Atlanta Falcons: +1000
- Detroit Lions: +1200
- The Field: +450
Minnesota is somehow more likely to secure Jackson’s services than the Ravens, who many still believe have a chance at a reunion.
The Vikings would face significant hurdles in trading for Jackson, mainly moving current QB1 Kirk Cousins to a place of his choosing (he has a no-trade clause). Minnesota also has the least amount of money available per the salary cap as of March 27th, and Jackson will demand $45-$50 million per season. Then, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah must pay contract extensions for Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson this offseason, along with Christian Darrisaw at this time next year. EDGE rusher Daniele Hunter could reasonably ask for a new contract, too.
But if there’s a will, there’s a way — is the mindset Vikings fans must maintain if they’re enamored with Jackson to Minnesota.
For now, his trade pricetag would be two 1st-Rounders due to the non-exclusive franchise tag placed on Jackson by the Ravens. Baltimore could then match the hypothetical contractual offer by the Vikings or send him on his way to the North Star State.
And oddsmakers believe only the Tennessee Titans have a better shot at pulling the trigger.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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