Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Linked via Trade to Falcons ... Again

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta maintain that Lamar Jackson is their priority this offseason.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback, and pending free agent Lamar Jackson has been linked to several teams as landing spots. The former league MVP and Heisman Trophy winner has yet to strike up a deal with his original NFL team, and it's probably the hottest storyline after the second retirement of Tom Brady.

A few days ago, our own Mike Fisher posed a potential destination via trade in the Atlanta Falcons, and Fisher isn't the only one who sees this scenario.

"Fed up after two years of fruitless extension negotiations, the Ravens franchise-tag Jackson," NFL reporter Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post said of a potential scenario for a piece published Friday. 

"Falcons owner Arthur Blank — who built a close friendship with Michael Vick — sees Jackson as a carbon copy and OKs dealing three first-round picks and fully guaranteeing a new contract, copying the (Cleveland Browns') move to beat the Falcons in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes last offseason."

It's been speculated that Jackson and the Ravens could not come to a contract agreement because Jackson wants a fully-guaranteed deal similar to what Deshaun Watson received in Cleveland. 

And while there's no question Jackson would be a vast improvement over the current quarterback room in Atlanta — which includes Desmond Ridder and Marcus Mariota — a fully guaranteed $230 million contract is tough to justify, even for a 26-year-old with Jackson's talent.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta maintain that Jackson is their priority.

"Everything we've done in terms of building our offense, building our team, how we think in terms of putting people around him is based on this incredible young man, his talent, his ability, and his competitiveness," Harbaugh said last month. 

Jackson is clearly unhappy at the lack of progress in his contract negotiations, as he took to Twitter publicly.

"When you have something good, you don't play with it,'' Lamar posted. "You don't take chances losing it. You don't neglect it. When you have something good, you pour into it. You appreciate it. Because when you take care of something good, that good thing takes care of you, too."

---

Follow Timm Hamm on Twitter and Instagram

Follow the Baltimore Ravens Daily Blitz Podcast

Ravens Alert! Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Baltimore Ravens?