Lamar Jackson’s future in Baltimore has never felt more uncertain, even though little has been said publicly. On the surface, the Ravens still have a two-time MVP in his prime. Beneath that, league voices are starting to raise the what-ifs: What if the timeline shifts? What if the vision changes? And what if another AFC team decides to get aggressive? That uncertainty is exactly where an analyst’s shocking trade idea comes into play.
NFL Analyst Suggests AFC Team Could Pursue Surprising Lamar Jackson Trade
With John Harbaugh now gone and Baltimore resetting at head coach, the Ravens are making it clear they still see Jackson as the centerpiece. Giving him access to the coaching search, even flying him in on Steve Bisciotti’s private jet, is symbolic. It’s respect. It’s trust. And it’s also an acknowledgment that the quarterback situation now touches every major decision the franchise makes.
Bisciotti has been careful to draw the line, though. Jackson will have “a lot of say but no power,” which is ownership speak for collaboration without control. Still, it’s rare territory for an active player. Whoever takes the job will be tethered to Jackson’s prime, and the Ravens want buy-in from both sides before committing long-term.
But that arrangement only matters if Jackson is still in Baltimore. And that’s where Mike Florio’s reporting pours cold water on the idea that this is all settled. In his NBC Sports Pro Football column, Florio writes:
“It’s too early to assume Lamar Jackson will absolutely, positively be back with the Ravens in 2026. He may not be thrilled with the ultimate selection of a head coach. Likewise, the team and Jackson may fail to get a mutually-acceptable contract extension in place before the start of free agency. Or Jackson may simply be ready for a fresh start, after eight years with one team.”
Florio also revisited reporting from Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston, who last month floated Miami and Las Vegas as potential destinations. Miami is emotionally appealing, and Jackson getting back to his hometown would make sense on a human level, but financially, it’s close to impossible.
Tua Tagovailoa’s deal carries $54 million in guarantees for 2026 and a dead-cap number near $99 million. That’s not a puzzle that can be solved without blowing up half the roster.
Las Vegas, meanwhile, checks boxes. The Raiders have cap space. They have cash. And they hold the first overall pick in the draft. That asset alone changes the conversation. A deal built around the No. 1 pick gives Baltimore immediate flexibility, whether that’s selecting a quarterback like Fernando Mendoza or flipping the pick again for a haul.
From the Raiders’ perspective, the logic is simple: They need relevance. Adding Jackson would reset the entire franchise’s gravity. It could help keep stars like Maxx Crosby and Brock Bowers engaged, and it would signal to the league that Las Vegas is done playing small-ball rebuilds. Even if the cost is massive, the upside is franchise-altering.
There’s also the Tom Brady factor. As a minority owner, Brady now wears some of the heat for what happens next. Another lost season, after a 3-14 finish in 2025, would put him squarely in the crosshairs. A defense that finished 21st in PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric and an offense ranked 31st is not a good showing.
So, it makes sense for them to go for Jackson, who, despite a down season by his standards, ranked 12th in PFSN’s QB Impact Metric. If Brady wants to take a legacy-level swing, this is the kind of move that does it.
Ultimately, though, this doesn’t come down to Bisciotti, Brady, or draft picks. It comes down to Jackson.
Florio concluded: “In theory, the Raiders and the Ravens (or anyone else and the Ravens) could agree to the terms of a Lamar Jackson trade at any time, with the understanding that it will be finalized on March 11, the first day of the league year. If Brady wants to take a big swing and if Jackson is ready to take his bat and ball to a new city, it’s something to keep an eye on.”
Jackson’s contract gives him a no-trade clause and a no-tag clause. He can refuse an extension. He can play out the deal. He can veto any trade he doesn’t like. As Bisciotti himself put it, Jackson may not have power over the coaching hire, but when it comes to his future, he holds the cards.
