Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Trade to Falcons? 'Great Story, But ...'
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The Atlanta Falcons are one of several teams without solidified plans at quarterback for next season ... and all options are being explored.
Arguably the quarterback with the most potential in the cloud of uncertainty is Baltimore Ravens signal-caller Lamar Jackson.
The Falcons have the cap space to acquire a player like Jackson, who is due for his first big NFL payday that should rank towards the top of the league, but ESPN questions if Atlanta would be willing to make the gamble.
"Lamar Jackson to the Falcons would be a great story, but someone with the team pointed out to me that Atlanta spent three years getting out of salary-cap purgatory and now sits on an estimated $56 million in space," ESPN writes. "Not that the Falcons couldn't use that on a high-profile QB but giving up multiple first-round picks for the right to spend $200-plus million isn't something Atlanta will be overly eager to do unless absolutely needed."
Do the Falcons absolutely need a quarterback like Jackson? No. The team drafted Desmond Ridder in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft and is "definitely an option to consider" according to ESPN.
Outside of Ridder, there are also cheaper options that the team could explore in free agency or on the trade market. Derek Carr (Las Vegas Raiders), Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco 49ers) and Ryan Tannehill (Tennessee Titans) have emerged as veterans that the team could target in the coming months.
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