Falcons 'Crazy' Not to Sign, Trade For Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, Says NFL Insider

Lamar Jackson is the hottest name on the free agency market right now. And the Atlanta Falcons are twiddling their thumbs by not pursuing him.

Jeremy Brener | Mar 10, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

When it was announced that the Baltimore Ravens issued the non-exclusive tag for quarterback Lamar Jackson, Atlanta Falcons fans had about 10 minutes of hope.

That hope was crushed when an ESPN report revealed that the Falcons were not going to pursue Jackson, followed by other insiders confirming the report.

But NFL insider Brian Baldinger has shared his opinion on the Audacy Original Podcast “In The Huddle,” declaring the Falcons crazy.

"Wherever it came from in Atlanta, they said they're not interested," said Baldinger. "I think they're crazy not to be interested, to be honest with you."

The Falcons appear to be declining a shot at Jackson to double-down with second-year pro Desmond Ridder, who started just four games in his rookie season and posted below-average numbers.

Atlanta also holds nearly $66 million in cap space, second-most in the NFL behind only the Chicago Bears.

The fit is there, the money is there, so what's the holdup?

Perhaps it's the idea of trading a pair of first-round picks to get the deal done, which includes the No. 8 pick in next month's draft. But a price of two first-round picks is less than what the Cleveland Browns had to pay for Deshaun Watson and what the Denver Broncos had to trade for Russell Wilson. Someone can argue that Jackson, a former MVP who just turned 26, has higher upside than both of these players.

There's a chance the Falcons could ultimately be making the right move sticking with Ridder and not hitching their wagon onto Jackson down the line. But right now, these "crazy" allegations are valid.

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Published Mar 10, 2023

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.