The Baltimore Ravens have the power to prevent Lamar Jackson from playing for another team next season, but that does not mean they are fully confident that the star quarterback will be under center for them in Week 1.
The Ravens on Tuesday hired former Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken as their new OC. According to a report from Jordan Schultz of The Athletic, none of the offensive coordinator candidates that interviewed with Baltimore were given assurances that Jackson will be the team’s quarterback in 2023.
Jackson will likely receive the franchise tag if he and the Ravens cannot work out a long-term extension. All that would mean is he could not play for another team next season unless the Ravens decided to trade him. The former MVP could still choose not to sign the franchise tender and sit out for either some or all of 2023, which players have done in the past.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said after the season that he is “200 percent” certain Jackson will be the team’s quarterback next year. However, a recent report claimed Baltimore could be tempted to trade Jackson depending on how the situation unfolds.
It is unclear what the Ravens would do if Jackson demanded a trade. The quarterback has been representing himself in contract negotiations, and the two sides do not seem anywhere close to a long-term agreement.
If Harbaugh truly did tell OC candidates that he is not certain Jackson will be Baltimore’s quarterback next season, that could be a bad sign about where things currently stand.
