Lamar Jackson Requests Trade from Ravens; Will Falcons Pursue?
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Throughout the early portion of the offseason, the Atlanta Falcons were linked with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, the league's former Most Valuable Player.
But that idea came screeching to a halt when, after the Ravens gave Jackson the non-exclusive franchise tag, the Falcons were said to be out of the pursuit of the 2018 first-round pick ... and were never actually in it.
However, Jackson announced Monday that he's officially requested a trade from Baltimore - so does that open the door for Atlanta?
In short, it likely doesn't.
Desmond Ridder, last year's third-round pick, had an encouraging four-game stretch to close the season, completing 62.5 percent of his passes for 708 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Throughout the offseason, Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot and coach Arthur Smith have expressed confidence in Ridder's development and future - and committed to him by signing veteran Taylor Heinicke as the backup.
Part of the allure of having Ridder as the starter is that he'll be playing on a rookie contract for the next three years, which is "super valuable" to Fontenot as he looks to keep building the roster around the quarterback position.
Consider further that Jackson is in line for a contract somewhere in the range of $40 million and this rookie deal becomes even more valuable - and the Falcons have seemingly shown their hand in supporting Ridder.
Thus, while Jackson now may officially be on the market, the Falcons appear to not ... and with how they've approached the offseason, likely never will.
You can follow Daniel Flick on Twitter @DFlickDraft
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