NEW ORLEANS — The Super Bowl hasn't even happened yet, and already offseason drama surrounds the Baltimore Ravens and their star quarterback, Lamar Jackson.
Jackson missed the final five regular-season games and the team's Wild Card game with a knee injury, and after turning down a six-year deal that would have guaranteed him $133 million, it sure looks like Jackson is angling for a much bigger payday in free agency.
The Ravens could franchise tag Jackson and keep him around at least for one more year, but it is looking more likely they will franchise tag and trade Jackson, meaning the acquiring team would take a roughly $40 million cap hit for 2023 while they (presumably) look to restructure a long-term deal with the 26-year-old.
One team that could absolutely be in the mix is the New Orleans Saints, and Locked on Saints host Ross Jackson discussed the pros and cons of acquiring Jackson for New Orleans.
"The big thing would be how is his injury?" Jackson stated. "Is he the type of quarterback that can do what [Assistant GM] Jeff Ireland told us at the Senior Bowl that he would like a dual-threat quarterback to be able to do, which is throw when you're hurt."
New Orleans rolled veteran signal-caller Andy Dalton out for 14 starts in 2022, going 6-8 while the 35-year-old threw for just 2,871 yards with a pedestrian 18-to-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
There is no doubt Jackson would be an upgrade talent wise in the Saints' QB room, but it ultimately doesn't matter unless the coaching staff is willing and capable of working with Jackson's unique skill-set.
"The biggest issue is, do you have a coaching staff than can coach a Lamar Jackson?" Jackson continued. "That can build a game plan for a Lamar Jackson. If you're rolling with the same coaching staff you had in 2022 in 2023, do you have the confidence that [Offensive Coordinator] Pete Carmichael could call plays for Lamar Jackson? That would be a question the New Orleans Saints have to answer."
Jackson is one of many potential QB's on the move this offseason, with Aaron Rodgers, Derek Carr, Baker Mayfield, and many others involved in what should be a very entertaining quarterback carousel this spring.