Lamar Jackson’s trade request adds an extra layer to busy NFL offseason

PHOENIX — The twists and turns of the NFL offseason roll on.

Following months of contract negotiations, Baltimore Ravens Lamar Jackson announced Monday that he requested a trade from the team back on March 2.

The QB added in his four-tweet thread that it was a business decision he had to make after Baltimore failed to meet his value.

The announcement quickly caught fire, especially in Phoenix, where Ravens head coach John Harbaugh sat down with reporters at nearly the same time his QB hit send.

Talk about timing.

“I haven’t seen the tweet, it’s an ongoing process,” Harbaugh said at the annual league meeting in Phoenix. “I’m following it very closely just like everybody else is here and looking forward to a resolution.

“Lamar’s under contract and of course that’s the guy I want to see there at quarterback,” the head coach added. “That’s my guy. … We love him. We love the way he plays, we love his mindset, his charisma, his style and the way he is in the locker room. Everything about him, we love him. I love him personally. I love being the coach of a team where he’s the quarterback for us.”

Harbaugh mentioned that while the team has to “plan for all the contingencies,” he’s confident Jackson will be a Raven when they reconvene for offseason programs.

Jackson is the latest big name to voice his desire to play elsewhere in an offseason that is far from settled with other impactful moves still on horizon, such as Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers’ trade request to the New York Jets that has yet to be fulfilled.

The pair of franchise quarterbacks aren’t the only ones to keep tabs on, though, with Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins’ name still very much in trade talks.

Interestingly enough, Adam “Pacman” Jones while on with The Pat McAfee Show last Thursday mentioned the Ravens as a potential suitor for Hopkins’ services along with the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and Buffalo Bills, who are reportedly headlining the trade market.

Hopkins’ future with Arizona is murky at best given where the team is at rebuild-wise and the wideout likely looking to play for a contender near the backend of his career.

While trading away a talent like Hopkins would greatly impact Arizona’s offense, a deal would free up cap space for new general manager Monti Ossenfort and first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon to work with in the midst of a rebuild.

If Jackson is indeed on the move, the Ravens would likely net a strong haul, giving them more to work with in any potential deal if Baltimore wanted to move on Hopkins.

As for the Rodgers front, the Jets and Packers have yet to nail down anything official after the QB made it known on The Pat McAfee Show less than two weeks ago of his desires to join New York.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh remains optimistic that Rodgers will be in the Big Apple soon enough.

“I’m a positive thinker, I’m sure eventually they’ll figure something out,” Saleh told reporters Monday.

“A lot of guys have wanted to come here and play and there’s a lot of excitement around the organization and it’s a cool thing to be a part of.”

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