Arthur Blank Denies Falcons Were Serious On Deshaun Watson, Addresses Lack Of Lamar Jackson Interest
Most of the reporting done regarding last year’s Deshaun Watson sweepstakes revealed the Falcons were set to land the then-embattled quarterback via trade, but the Browns’ $230MM fully guaranteed contract won out. Arthur Blank‘s stance now is the team was not especially close to acquiring Watson.
Asked about the differences between the Watson pursuit and the Falcons joining the rest of the QB-needy or borderline QB-needy teams in avoiding Lamar Jackson, Blank said staff conversations led the team to view Watson as a poor fit.
“I think we explored the one last year, which is what our responsibility was,” Blank said, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s D. Orlando Ledbetter. “We didn’t explore it deeply, deeply. We spent some time on it from a legal standpoint, personal standpoint, value standpoint on the player and a variety of things. Soon after we got into exploring, we decided it wasn’t a very good match.
“… I think Lamar’s situation, and I don’t really want to spend a whole lot of time talking about players on other clubs, but Lamar’s situation, I think is very different. A different player. Different time.”
The Falcons joined the Browns, Panthers and Saints as meeting the Texans’ trade price, and a report the day Houston agreed to send Watson to Cleveland indicated Atlanta was “very close” to acquiring the Georgia native. Watson had narrowed his list to the Falcons and Saints — before the Browns’ contract offer — and the quarterback was believed to be recruiting Jarvis Landry and Leonard Fournette to Atlanta. That report and others later in the year viewed Watson as being Atlanta-bound were it not for Cleveland’s historic guarantee structure — one that has altered Jackson’s path.
The Texans only permitted the four finalists to meet with Watson had they offered satisfactory trade compensation, pointing to Atlanta being much farther down the Watson road compared to Blank’s assessment. The Browns’ Watson agreement has directly impacted the Ravens’ Jackson talks, with the former MVP long being connected to asking for Watson-level guarantees. No other quarterback is tied to a guarantee north of $124MM, and teams have attempted to make the Watson accord an outlier. Thus far, franchises’ efforts have been successful.
The Falcons drafted Desmond Ridder a few weeks after missing on Watson, and they are committing to the third-round pick as their 2023 starter. With Atlanta having not made the playoffs since 2017 and Ridder far from a sure thing, Blank’s club would seem to be one of the most logical Jackson suitors. No team has emerged as a suitor, and Blank alluded to Jackson’s run-oriented skillset as one of the reasons for the Falcons’ current stance. Jackson’s recent injury history (11 missed games since 2021) is believed to have affected teams’ interest levels, though his contractual demand has long been viewed as the main impediment.
“Looking at it objectively, there is some concern about whether or not he can play his style of game for … how long can that last,” Blank said. “I’m not sure. He’s only 26. Hopefully a long time for his benefit or anybody that he’s signed with. But he’s missed five to six games each of the last two years. This is not like baseball and basketball where you’re playing 82 or a 182 games, or whatever baseball is now.”
Blank confirmed Arthur Smith, GM Terry Fontenot and Falcons CEO Rich McKay looked into Jackson. Blank was not involved in the evaluation. While Blank called Jackson “one of the top quarterbacks in this league,” the Falcons will stand down on an expensive pursuit and go with Ridder. The four-year Cincinnati starter worked as the Falcons’ first-stringer in four games last season. Ridder completed 63.5% of his passes, threw two TD passes and no INTs, but averaged just 6.2 yards per attempt.
Ridder’s rookie contract runs through 2025, and it will help Atlanta build its roster. Although Ridder will need to prove worthy of being a player good enough to build around, the Falcons came into free agency with a top-three cap-space figure. This standing came after the team ate a dead-money record from the Matt Ryan trade ($40MM) and also took on dead-cap hits from the Julio Jones and Deion Jones swaps.
During Blank’s run as Falcons owner, the team has authorized three big-ticket quarterback contracts — Michael Vick‘s 2004 extension and Ryan’s second and third accords. It appears Blank, whose team certainly appears to have been close to acquiring Watson last year, would like to build around a rookie deal for a while.
“We just came out a period of time … last year we set a record for the most dead money in the history of the NFL,” Blank said. “In my 21 years as an owner, we had close to the least amount of cap room than we’ve ever had before. This year, we had a healthy amount of cap room. Not very much dead money, a little bit, not much.
“Having compensation at 25% or so tied up in one player, we’ve lived through that. It definitely can put a lot of restraint on your ability to round out a roster and to have the depth on the roster given 17 games and the nature of this game, it still a contact sport … we need to build a team.”
Ravens Will Consider Round 1 QB; Team Made Offer To Baker Mayfield?
Tyler Huntley remains in place as the Ravens’ backup quarterback, but the team did not tender its two-year QB2 on the second-round level. Baltimore giving Huntley the low-end tender would not lead to compensation if the former UDFA signed an unmatched offer sheet.
As Huntley goes into a contract year, the Ravens pursued other options for either a backup QB or insurance against a Lamar Jackson departure. The team made an offer to Baker Mayfield, per JoeBucsFan.com. An ESPN report in March indicated Baltimore looked into Mayfield and Jacoby Brissett. Mayfield signed with the Buccaneers, Brissett with the Commanders.
The Ravens faced Brissett last season, during the journeyman’s Deshaun Watson fill-in stop, and matched up with Mayfield for four seasons. Brissett signed a one-year deal worth $8MM ($7.5MM guaranteed); Mayfield inked a one-year, $4MM pact ($4MM guaranteed). Mayfield’s contract includes performance incentives. Each player will navigate in-house competition from inexperienced options — Sam Howell and Kyle Trask, respectively — but will be favored to win those jobs, unless a bigger name lands in Washington or Tampa.
Passing on a Ravens offer is logical for a quarterback hoping for a starter path. It cannot be assumed Jackson, despite his having issued a trade request March 2, will be gone. No team besides the Ravens has shown interest, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (video link) the sides have talked recently. Jackson and the Ravens spoke around 10 days ago, which was around the time the former MVP made his trade request public. The Ravens have until July 17 to sign Jackson to a long-term deal, though the sides remain far apart on guarantees. Jackson having a clear route back to Baltimore, however, would naturally lead less accomplished passers elsewhere.
Many bridge- or backup-level QBs have landed gigs since free agency started, but a few notable names have not. Teddy Bridgewater remains available, as do Carson Wentz, Mason Rudolph, Matt Ryan and 11-year Ravens starter Joe Flacco. Of course, Ryan and Flacco — each 2008 first-round picks — would be going into their age-38 seasons and are on clear declines. Bridgewater, who is preparing for his age-31 campaign, would be a better option. Wentz, 30, is open to continuing his career as a backup, but three teams have jettisoned the former No. 2 overall pick over the past three offseasons. The one-time MVP candidate would make for a polarizing insurance option.
Jackson has stuck to his guns as a self-represented player in search of Watson-level full guarantees ($230MM). The Ravens have offered Jackson $133MM guaranteed — in a deal that included a $175MM total guarantee that would have shifted to a full guarantee early in the contract — but that proposal is no longer believed to be on the table. Still, it should not be expected Jackson will pass on a $32.4MM franchise-tag salary.
Since the franchise tag was introduced in 1993, only three players — defensive linemen Sean Gilbert (1997) and Dan Williams (1998) and running back Le’Veon Bell (2018) — have skipped a season and passed on a tag paycheck. All three secured multiyear deals the following year — Gilbert and Bell from different teams, while the Chiefs circled back to Williams — but it is the extraordinarily rare path to take for a tag recipient. Jackson would have until Week 10 to report Then again, Jackson has passed on collecting franchise-QB money in each of the past two years. His 2021 route was perhaps more notable, as Watson’s Browns guarantee had not yet entered the equation.
Discussing the draft (and only the draft, as Jackson questions were declined; Ravens officials did not mention his name) Wednesday, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said (via SI.com’s Albert Breer) the team would consider a quarterback. While this may not be the full truth, as DeCosta deferred to the team’s draft board including QBs with first-round grades. But DeCosta added more than four passers in this draft can be “significant quarterbacks in this league.” The Ravens have scheduled an Anthony Richardson meeting. As of now, Richardson is the only QB the franchise is using a “30” visit on, Rapoport adds.
Ravens Offered Lamar Jackson $175MM In Total Guarantees; Deal No Longer On Table
Offseason No. 3 of the Ravens-Lamar Jackson contract story has produced the biggest headlines, which include franchise tag and a trade request. But this saga’s second year included the clearest picture of Baltimore’s offer.
Long reported to have offered Jackson $133MM fully guaranteed, the Ravens proposed the former MVP a deal with $175MM in total guarantees. The $42MM injury guarantee would have shifted to a full guarantee early over the course of the contract, Albert Breer of SI.com reports. An additional $25MM — present in the fourth year of the contract — would have become guaranteed in Year 3 of the deal, Breer adds. Overall, that 2022 offer topped $290MM over six years. The $175MM in total guarantees would have topped Russell Wilson ($165MM) for second in the league.
The year-out guarantees helped move the Patrick Mahomes Chiefs extension past the goal line in 2020, and while that 10-year agreement is an outlier and rather team-friendly, the two-time MVP has protections via the advanced rolling guarantees. Mahomes joins most of the league’s franchise QBs in having signed an extension before his fourth season. Jackson joins Dak Prescott and Kirk Cousins in not doing so. Prescott, however, had a deal in place by this point in his career; he signed his Cowboys extension in March 2021. Jackson has played five seasons; no resolution is in sight.
Perhaps more importantly, given the time that has passed since the 2022 offseason — when the Ravens proposed the $175MM guaranteed ahead of the Jackson-imposed negotiation deadline — Breer adds this deal is no longer on the table. The Ravens remain in fairly good position, even after their disgruntled QB’s trade request emerged, as no team has shown much interest in authorizing the monster guarantee he seeks. Baltimore has also been open to a Cousins-style short-term accord that would come fully guaranteed, per Breer, who adds Jackson is not set against one type of structure.
Cousins signed a three-year, $84MM Vikings contract in 2018; that deal helped accelerate the QB market after it had moved slower in the years leading up to that point. Jackson indicated the Ravens have offered him a Cousins-like deal — a $133MM fully guaranteed pact over three years — but the self-represented passer turned it down. Jackson, 26, has continually been linked to seeking a contract in the Deshaun Watson full guarantee neighborhood ($230MM). With no other QB tied to more than $125MM in full guarantees, Jackson and the Ravens have a substantial gap to bridge.
Jackson’s refusal to use an agent in these negotiations has generated scrutiny, and the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora notes it has contributed to the sixth-year star being in this position. Since Jackson entered the league in 2018, Mahomes, Carson Wentz, Jared Goff, Josh Allen and Kyler Murray have signed big-ticket extensions to lock in windfalls before their fourth seasons. Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert may join them this offseason. Watson earned unusual leverage to sign two deals before his sixth NFL campaign. Jackson played on his rookie salary in 2021 and the fifth-year option in 2022, putting him significantly behind his peers in earnings through five seasons. An agent might have helped prevent that outcome, and La Canfora adds some around the league believe a certified rep might also help provide clarity regarding the gridlock that has formed since the Ravens gave Jackson the $32.4MM non-exclusive tag.
The Ravens remain on solid footing with Jackson in part because teams have lined up to say they are not interested, closing doors early. These paths might not remain barricaded all the way through the July 17 tag deadline, but they are presently closed. Jackson’s playing style has caused concerns about a short career, according to one executive assessing the Ravens’ offseason (via The Athletic’s Mike Sando). Despite Jackson missing 10 regular-season games from 2021-22, his 727 carries lap the field among QBs through five seasons. Cam Newton‘s 599 are second. Another exec added that if the pass-oriented Mahomes were in this position, he would have 30 guaranteed offers.
Jackson’s injuries over the past two seasons and guarantee demands have frozen his market. The Ravens, meanwhile, want to bring back the former Heisman winner to play in new OC Todd Monken‘s scheme. A team’s draft not unfolding as planned might entice a post-draft offer sheet from another team, but for now, the Ravens are his only known suitor.
Latest On Negotiations Between Ravens, Lamar Jackson
One of the top offseason storylines in the NFL remains the Lamar Jackson saga. Contract talks between the Ravens and the former MVP have not yielded progress, and the latter revealed recently that he has requested a trade to a team willing to sign him to the deal he is seeking.
Multiple offseasons of negotiations have stalled, primarily due to the issue of guaranteed money. The contract given to Deshaun Watson by the Browns last season – five years in length, totaling $230MM guaranteed in full – has long been seen as the sticking point between the two parties. That could represent a benchmark for Jackson (and other quarterbacks due for monster extensions in the near future), though the rest of the NFL has made it clear they consider the Watson pact an exception, rather than the beginning of a new trend. 
Speaking on the subject during an appearance on the Bernie Kosar Show, longtime Ravens GM and current EVP Ozzie Newsome said, “every club has to do what they have to do with contracts. I don’t worry about what other people do, but our owner did say that contract did create some problems. We have to figure out if that’s going to be the norm or is that an outlier. We don’t know” (video link).
With the relationship between Jackson, 26, and the Ravens taking multiple noteworthy and public turns recently, many have speculated about the potential for his career to continue in Baltimore. On that point, ESPN’s Dan Graziano notes that a path towards fences being mended still exists in this situation. The Ravens have remained effusive in their praise of the former first-rounder, who is scheduled to play on the franchise tag ($32.4MM) in 2023 in the absence of a long-term deal.
Graziano adds that Jackson is asking for more than the $230MM Watson received in guaranteed money, but also that the Louisville product does not appear to be insistent on all of his deal being guaranteed. That may very well represent a moot point to many outside teams, considering the sizeable gap in guarantees which exists between the Watson pact and those signed last summer by the likes of Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray. It could, on the other hand, point further to Jackson and the Ravens being able to reach an agreement down the road.
However, Graziano’s colleague Jeremy Fowler reports that Baltimore is not currently moving with much urgency in terms of negotiations. Their decision to use the non-exclusive tag on Jackson left him free to test his market with potential suitors, but no serious ones have emerged at this point. Plenty of time remains until the draft, which could be an unofficial trade deadline, but also until the middle of July, the point by which Jackson will be required to sign the tag to be eligible to play this season. The ESPN pair note that the two-time Pro Bowler has become frustrated with Baltimore’s recent offers, and that he remains “principled” on the notion of setting a new precedent for future QB mega-deals.
While the Jackson saga is dominating the Ravens’ offseason, more news at the position could be forthcoming. Head coach John Harbaugh confirmed at the annual league meetings that the team is strongly considering adding a veteran backup quarterback. A number of options are off the market at this point in free agency, but The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec names Carson Wentz, Teddy Bridgewater and Mason Rudolph as potential targets who are still available (subscription required). In the event Jackson decides not to sign his tender by OTAs or training camp, the team will need to make an addition of some kind. By that point, more clarity may have emerged regarding their future under center.
Falcons HC Arthur Smith Addresses Commitment To Desmond Ridder, Lamar Jackson Interest
For weeks, teams around the league have had the option of making an aggressive pursuit of Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, since he was issued the non-exclusive franchise tag. Very little interest has emerged regarding either an offer sheet or a tag-and-trade, however, including from the Falcons, a team many pointed to as a potential landing spot. 
Atlanta was the first team reported to turn down interest in acquiring the former MVP, whose contract standoff with the Ravens has taken a number of public turns. The most recent of those, of course, was Jackson’s revelation that he has a month-long standing trade request with Baltimore, since the team has remained unwilling to meet his asking price.
One day after Jackson’s desire to be traded become known, the Falcons committed to 2022 third-rounder Desmond Ridder as their starting quarterback heading into next season. The 23-year-old served as Atlanta’s QB1 for four games to close out the 2022 campaign, taking over from veteran Marcus Mariota. Ridder didn’t put up eye-catching numbers in his audition, but he did enough to convince the Falcons to avoid the high cost (in both draft capital and finances) which would be required to land Jackson.
“He won a lot of games in college and helped Luke Fickell at Cincinnati really change the whole culture of that program,” Falcons head coach Arthur Smith said during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show (video link). “And I certainly think that experience, you start that many games coming in helps… And certainly there’s a lot of things we all can continue to improve, but we’ve got a lot of faith in him.”
Ridder, the second signal-caller drafted in last year’s underwhelming class, went 2-2 in his rookie year. He has three more years of being team-friendly from a financial standpoint, which helps explain the Falcons’ decision to opt for a patient approach under center. The cap dilemma Atlanta would put themselves in – not long after clearing up a number of expensive contracts, including that of Matt Ryan – remains a key reason why they have shied away from Jackson.
“The belief becomes so much more transactional,” Smith said. “It’s our job to understand the markets that’s going on, and who’s available, who’s not, do they fit… at the end of the day you’ve got to do what you think is best for your team and what you’re building and how it fits into that puzzle.”
The Falcons currently have just over $21.5MM in cap space, which ranks sixth in the NFL. That comes after the team elected to add veteran Taylor Heinicke as their backup, a role he is willing to accept. While Jackson would offer far more in the way of pedigree than that duo, Atlanta remains in line with the rest of the league in turning their attention away from him during roster-building season.
Pats Not Expected To Pursue Lamar Jackson
The list of teams not expected to pursue Lamar Jackson continues to expand. Although they have been loosely connected to the former MVP, the Patriots are believed to be among the growing list of franchises expected to steer clear of a monster Jackson offer.
Jackson’s contract demands are set to price out the Pats, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe (subscription required). New England was expected to be leery of such a contract, Bill Belichick‘s past praise for the dual-threat superstar notwithstanding, and Robert Kraft indicating rapper Meek Mill — a mutual friend of he and Jackson — informing him Jackson wanted to be a Patriot does not appear to be moving the needle enough for a full guarantee in the $200MM neighborhood.
Kraft said he will leave the Jackson decision up to Belichick, who helped construct the second pillar of the Patriots’ dynasty around Tom Brady agreeing to below-market deals for much of the 2010s. The Pats could obviously upgrade on Mac Jones with a Jackson deal, but the team has a rookie-QB contract to build around presently. Jones can be kept on his rookie deal through 2025, via the fifth-year option. A Jackson addition would not only reshape the Pats’ payroll but cost the team at least two first-round picks.
Jones’ potential is not keeping the Patriots out of the Jackson sweepstakes, Howe adds; the contractual and compensation requirements stand to do so. The Pats are not alone here. The Commanders, Dolphins, Falcons, Jets, Lions, Panthers and Raiders have either gone in different directions at quarterback or are expected to do so. The Colts emerged as a potential Jackson suitor, but Jim Irsay‘s comments regarding high guarantees would not point to Indianapolis — even amid post-Andrew Luck QB struggles that have come to define the franchise — being aggressive here.
Bovada lists the Ravens as the team most likely to be Jackson’s 2023 employer, slotting the Colts second. The Dolphins, Falcons and Patriots sit a distant third, fourth and fifth here. Jackson made his trade request — submitted March 2 — public earlier this week. Despite Deshaun Watson generating interest from more than a fourth of the league last year — in a controversial derby that generated three-first-rounder offers from four teams — Jackson is not drumming up a market.
Jackson’s demands come after two injury-plagued seasons, and his historic run-game involvement (for a quarterback) can lead to the assumption his career will not be as long as the franchise-QB peers with whom he is frequently compared. Injury concerns are believed to be part of the reason teams are shying away here, though Jackson’s age (26) would not seem to make any worries about a shorter career too relevant regarding his second contract.
Jackson, who continues to act as his own agent, sent out multiple tweets responding to perceived durability concerns Tuesday night. As of now, however, the Ravens are the only team that has expressed interest in signing him. The sides have until July 17 to work out a long-term contract, but the three-time Pro Bowler has been extension-eligible since January 2021. The Ravens have upped their offer considerably, but their centerpiece player remains unsigned.
Jim Irsay Addresses Potential Colts Lamar Jackson Pursuit
Lamar Jackson provided the latest update to his contract standoff with the Ravens yesterday, revealing that he asked for a trade earlier this month. That could open the door even further to outside teams pursuing him, with many pointing to the Colts has a potential destination. 
Owner Jim Irsay was asked about the subject during the league meetings, and his responses highlighted his hesitancy to commit to Jackson on the type of contract he is said to be seeking. To little surprise, Irsay noted the matter of guarantees as the primary obstacle with respect to the Colts attempting to secure the former MVP.
“For me, for the good of the game, boy, I don’t believe fully guaranteed contracts would be good for our game at all,” Irsay said, via Zak Keefer of The Athletic (subscription required). “I’ve seen what it’s done to other sports leagues and I just don’t think that it’s a positive… Our game is great and it’s great for a number of reasons, but I don’t think guaranteed contracts make our game greater, I think it makes it worse.”
Jackson has long been thought to be seeking a fully guaranteed deal similar to the one Deshaun Watson signed with the Browns last offseason (five years, $230MM). It has become clear – between QB extensions signed after that pact, and the tepid market Jackson has seen for potential offer sheets – that the rest of the NFL is intent of keeping the Watson accord an exception, rather than the start of a new trend.
As has been the case since Andrew Luck retired, Indianapolis is searching for a long-term answer at the QB spot. Irsay’s comments have made it clear that a repeat of the team’s veteran acquisitions (including Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan) should not be expected in 2023. The Colts own the No. 4 pick in the upcoming draft, but are likely to have seen two signal-callers come off the board by that point. Veteran Gardner Minshew represents a relatively high-upside backup, but he is not considered the Week 1 starter at this point.
That could steer the Colts towards an aggressive pursuit of Jackson. Irsay’s latest remarks confirmed that the door remains open to such action, though the impact of the financial commitment which will be necessary to secure the 26-year-old remains front of mind for him.
“It has nothing to do with actual dollars,” Irsay said. “I mean, paying a contact like that is not a problem… the issue is, what’s the right thing to do for the franchise, in terms of what helps us win in the long run? I mean, you need more than just a quarterback.”
Their draft situation could still lead the Colts to take the draft route to secure their next franchise signal-caller. With a tag-and-trade (rather than strictly an offer sheet) now firmly available as an option to acquire Jackson, however, Indianapolis remains a team to watch as his playing future unfolds.
Lions, Texans Not Expected To Pursue Lamar Jackson
Looks like we can cross two more teams off the list of potential Lamar Jackson suitors. Lions coach Dan Campbell told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press that his team won’t be pursuing Jackson. Meanwhile, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com tweets that the Texans won’t be involved in the Jackson sweepstakes.
[RELATED: Lamar Jackson Requests Trade]
Jackson requested a trade from the Ravens earlier this month, and the QB took his request public yesterday. Since then, Colts owner Jim Irsay seemed to imply that his team won’t be pursuing Jackson, citing the quarterback’s desire for a fully guaranteed contract. Jets GM Joe Douglas also said his team won’t go after Jackson out of respect for Aaron Rodgers and the Packers organization.
Now, it sounds like two more squads are out. While most teams will be wary of committing record-breaking guaranteed money to the QB, Campbell seemed to indicate that the Lions were also perfectly content with their current quarterback situation.
“Yeah, look, Lamar’s a heck of a talent,” Campbell said. “Trying to defend that guy has been something else. We played them two years ago but, man, we got a quarterback. So I’m like, we got a quarterback and thank God we got one, and so we’re good. But man, he’s a heck of a talent.”
Jared Goff made a Pro Bowl during his second season in Detroit after tossing 29 touchdowns vs. seven interceptions while helping lead the Lions to a 9-8 record. Goff will only be entering his age-29 season in 2023, and he still has two more years remaining on his contract (worth affordable base salaries of ~$20MM). Goff doesn’t provide as much upside as Jackson, but it’s hard to be too critical of the Lions when you also consider the monetary commitment they’d have to make to Jackson (plus the draft compensation they’d have to give up to Baltimore).
The Texans don’t have their future quarterback on the roster, but the organization also isn’t feeling much urgency to compete right away. Jackson would surely accelerate their timeline, but with the Texans armed with the second-overall pick, it’s much more likely they opt for a rookie QB who can grow alongside their young core.
While Jackson’s desire for guaranteed money has certainly cooled his market, Chris Mortensen tweets that teams are also wary of the QB’s injury history. One anonymous team was juggling the monetary investment vs. all of the games and practices that Jackson has missed in recent years, with one source wondering if the player’s “sleep habits and nutrition” have contributed to the absences.
One potential outcome is that Jackson remains with the Ravens, and despite the trade request. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets that the organization was discussing a new contract with the quarterback as recently as last week.
Draft Rumors: Commanders, Texans, Bears, Titans, Panthers, Raiders, Falcons
Reported as a team not interested in Lamar Jackson, the Commanders are indeed going in another direction at quarterback. Ron Rivera confirmed Tuesday his team will not pursue the dual-threat superstar and, via the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala, never considered doing so (Twitter link).
“It was something we feel didn’t suit what we want to do,” Rivera said. “We know he’s a tremendous player. I just didn’t think that was the direction we wanted to go.”
Washington, however, will likely be hosting other quarterbacks during the pre-draft process. The team will not rule out taking a QB in Round 1, Rivera said Tuesday (Twitter link). The Commanders hold the No. 16 overall pick; they will almost definitely need to complete a vault up the draft board to land one of the top four QBs. The Panthers will take a quarterback first overall, while the Texans, Colts, Seahawks, Raiders, Falcons and Titans — each a QB suitor or a team that would make sense as such — sit ahead of them. The Commanders passed on trading up for Justin Fields or Mac Jones two years ago and had Carson Wentz in place in 2022, tabling draft matters at the position.
Here is the latest from the draft circuit:
- The Texans have already brought in Will Levis and Anthony Richardson for pre-draft visits, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Houston will also host Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud on “30” visits soon. On track to draft a first-round quarterback for the first time since Deshaun Watson in 2017, the Texans should be expected to consider the top four options. Their Week 18 win in Indianapolis, however, allowed the Bears to leapfrog them for the draft’s top slot. The Panthers now hold that pick and will have first dibs on this year’s QB crop.
- Before making their trade with the Panthers, the Bears discussed trading back with the Texans — as part of a multi-trade effort to accumulate picks — Ryan Poles said recently (via NBC Sports’ Peter King). That scenario would have had the Bears trading from No. 1 to 2 to 9, putting the Texans at first overall and the Panthers at No. 2, but SI.com’s Albert Breer notes negotiations with the Texans dragged while Panthers talks accelerated. Poles said his relationship with Panthers GM Scott Fitterer, dating back to duo’s days as scouts, helped the process. Giving Fields a chance to grow with a new regime, the Bears now hold the No. 9 overall pick this year.
- At least five teams will meet with Richardson before the draft. The Panthers, Colts, Raiders, Falcons and Titans will get together with the Florida-developed passer, Cameron Wolfe of NFL.com tweets. Each team holds a top-11 pick, and it can be considered a lock reps from each will be on-hand at Richardson’s pro day Thursday in Gainesville.
- Titans GM Ran Carthon, HC Mike Vrabel and assistant GM Chad Brinker were among the seven Tennessee staffers at Stroud’s pro day last week, The Athletic’s John Rexrode notes (subscription required). The Panthers topped that, sending a whopping 14 staffers to Columbus for Stroud’s throwing event. Stroud met with the Panthers, Raiders, Seahawks and Titans, Breer adds. Carthon and Vrabel, however, were also at Levis’ pro day last week, Breer tweets. Pete Carroll and John Schneider went to Kentucky to represent the Seahawks for that event, too. Carthon also attended Young’s pro day. While the new Tennessee GM gave some support for four-year Titans starter Ryan Tannehill, it was far from a full-fledged endorsement.
- Josh McDaniels said the Raiders are open to taking a QB at No. 7 overall, despite signing Jimmy Garoppolo, and The Athletic’s Vic Tafur notes he and GM Dave Ziegler observed Stroud and Young’s pro days. In addition to the Raiders meeting with Levis before his pro day, Tafur adds the Kentucky QB will visit Las Vegas soon. McDaniels did not rule out the Raiders adding a veteran backup as well; Jarrett Stidham left for a two-year, $10MM Broncos deal. The team’s presence at pro days also could serve as a way to drive up trade interest in the No. 7 pick.
Jets Willing To Give Up Second-Round Pick For Aaron Rodgers
MARCH 28: Providing the latest update on the matter of compensation, Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports reports that talks are now centered on the possibility of New York sending a second-round pick in 2023 and ’24 to Green Bay. The latter selection would be conditional, and have the potential to become a first-rounder depending on the Jets’ success with Rodgers at the helm.
With the 39-year-old admitting that retirement was a strong consideration following this past season, however, the Jets remain hesitant to sign off on 2024 compensation without assurances Rodgers will continue his career that long. As a result, Robinson notes that New York is seeking 2025 draft capital from the Packers in the event Rodgers does indeed retire after next season, to help protect against the lost draft pick in 2024. Progress made within this new framework will help determine if/when this deal gets over the finish line.
MARCH 27: The Jets and Packers remain engaged in trade talks on Aaron Rodgers; this week’s league meetings will allow for additional time for the sides to produce a resolution. While Douglas said Monday no timetable is in place, the Jets GM acknowledged progress has occurred.
Another Jets transaction may have changed the Rodgers talks. In trading Elijah Moore, the Jets obtained an additional second-round pick (No. 43 overall) from the Browns. They are willing to give up that pick for Rodgers, Armando Salguero of Outkick.com notes, but have thus far refused to part with their first-rounder (No. 13 overall). The Packers want a first-rounder in this trade.
Gang Green is also likely prepared to part with a conditional draft asset down the road, Salguero adds. That choice’s value could be a sticking point as well. When asked about parting with the No. 13 pick in this deal, Douglas did not shoot down that prospect, nor did he address which picks have been discussed. But the veteran Jets GM said that selection will give the team a chance to “bring in a strong player,” while confirming (via The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt) the Jets and Packers’ talks are not where they need to be yet.
Fifteen years ago, the Jets sent the Packers a conditional draft choice — which ended up a 2009 third-rounder — for Brett Favre. The Packers are positioned to land more for Rodgers, who made it clear he is ready to join the Jets. The Packers are moving forward with Jordan Love, but they want better draft capital than the Jets have offered. They also want “cap-related concessions” in this deal, Salguero adds.
It would cost the Packers just more than $40MM to trade Rodgers before June 1. While that dead-money number drops considerably (to $15.8MM) on a deal after that date, the Packers look to be targeting more than just draft capital from the Jets, who would — absent any contract maneuvering — have Rodgers on their 2023 cap sheet at barely $15MM in 2023. The Jets are, assuming they finish this trade, prepared to pay Rodgers’ roughly $59MM bonus negotiated into his three-year, $150.8MM extension agreed to last March.
Leverage in the form of a Lamar Jackson pursuit could have been an option for the Jets, but Douglas joined the host of teams preparing to stand down on the Ravens’ disgruntled quarterback. Praising Jackson but not wanting to negotiate with the Packers in bad faith, as they are far down the Rodgers road, Douglas said (via the New York Post’s Brian Costello) the Jets will not pursue him. Hit with the franchise tag, Jackson has requested a trade.
Jackson would likely have been a Jets consideration had he requested a trade in January or February, SNY’s Connor Hughes adds (video link). The team met with Derek Carr, but its Rodgers meeting took place a day after Carr signed with the Saints. It would seem the Jets could still pivot to Jackson, though the former MVP would cost far more in a trade and require a monster extension. But they are pot-committed to Rodgers at this point. That represents good news for the Packers. While Green Bay is certainly taking a risk with its Rodgers-to-Love transition, the team is set to collect a premium draft choice for a player no longer in its plans.