Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Trade to Falcons? 'Great Story, But ...'

The Atlanta Falcons have been rumored as a potential trade destination for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. The fit sounds comfortable, but it's also complicated.

Jeremy Brener | Feb 6, 2023

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Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are one of several teams without solidified plans at quarterback for next season ... and all options are being explored.

Arguably the quarterback with the most potential in the cloud of uncertainty is Baltimore Ravens signal-caller Lamar Jackson.

The Falcons have the cap space to acquire a player like Jackson, who is due for his first big NFL payday that should rank towards the top of the league, but ESPN questions if Atlanta would be willing to make the gamble.

"Lamar Jackson to the Falcons would be a great story, but someone with the team pointed out to me that Atlanta spent three years getting out of salary-cap purgatory and now sits on an estimated $56 million in space," ESPN writes. "Not that the Falcons couldn't use that on a high-profile QB but giving up multiple first-round picks for the right to spend $200-plus million isn't something Atlanta will be overly eager to do unless absolutely needed."

Do the Falcons absolutely need a quarterback like Jackson? No. The team drafted Desmond Ridder in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft and is "definitely an option to consider" according to ESPN.

Outside of Ridder, there are also cheaper options that the team could explore in free agency or on the trade market. Derek Carr (Las Vegas Raiders), Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers) and Ryan Tannehill (Tennessee Titans) have emerged as veterans that the team could target in the coming months.

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Published Feb 6, 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.