NFL writer floats wild Lamar Jackson-to-Detroit Lions trade

One of the most fascinating storylines of the NFL offseason surrounds the future of Lamar Jackson. The former MVP is set to be a free agent in a few weeks as he and the Baltimore Ravens were unable to agree to a contract extension.

The Ravens still hold a lot of the power in negotiations, as they can place the franchise tag on him. After already agreeing to an extension with linebacker Roquan Smith, it would not be a surprise if that is the route they take with Jackson.

Alas, just because they use the franchise tag on him doesn’t mean that he will remain with the franchise. There is a chance that a tag-and-trade is done, similar to what we saw with Davante Adams and the Green Bay Packers last offseason.

If Jackson is made available for a trade, plenty of teams would make an offer. It certainly wouldn’t be cheap, but the chance to acquire such a dynamic talent rarely occurs in the NFL. Even if it took multiple first-round picks, numerous teams would submit offers to land him.

One surprising landing spot that has been suggested is the Detroit Lions. Under the new regime of general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell, things have quickly turned around in the Motor City. The Lions went 9-8 last season and are on the right track for the first time in a long time.

Armed with two first-round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, Detroit could certainly make a splash this offseason. However, trading for Lamar Jackson likely isn’t the splash that they will be considering.

Jared Goff has proven more than capable of running the offense and playing at a high level. With so many holes on the defensive side of the ball, that is where the Lions’ focus should be this offseason. Trading away multiple assets and handing Jackson a lucrative long-term deal could do more harm than good to the franchise after laying the foundation for the last two years.

A package centered around Goff and multiple draft picks is likely something that the Ravens would be ecstatic to receive. They know they can be competitive with Goff leading the offense and would have prime assets to round out the roster with.

While Jackson has age on his side compared to Goff and is the more dynamic player, a strong argument could be made that acquiring him wouldn’t put the Lions in any better of a position to contend. With some holes remaining on the roster, sacrificing multiple draft picks and signing Lamar Jackson to a massive new contract would be a short-sighted move by Detroit.