Lamar Jackson Requests a Trade, Titans Should Pick Up the Phone
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans have been sniffing around quarterbacks all offseason. Whether it involves being whispered about in trade conversations or the visits the Titans have had or will have with rookie quarterback prospects, they are no doubt considering alternative options, at a minimum. It only stands to reason that the Titans are actively monitoring the Lamar Jackson trade request that dropped on the first day at the NFL league meeting.
Lamar Jackson took to Twitter to publicly announced he had asked for a trade on March 2 after the Baltimore Ravens had not met his contract obligations. Lamar took the time to thank his fans and reaffirm his goal was to win the Super Bowl. Interestingly enough, this statement from Lamar Jackson dropped on Twitter just moments before Ravens’ head coach John Harbaugh was set to speak to the media.
While Harbaugh played great defense and acted as if Jackson would be back with the Ravens when everything plays out, the Titans need to do their due diligence to see if there is any chance that Jackson could be pried away from the Ravens. Jackson has his flaws with injuries and some questionable playoff performances. Looking at it differently, he is a former MVP who is still 27 years old. In theory, Jackson should be entering his prime and with the Titans’ approach to running the ball, the combination of Jackson and Derrick Henry could be electrifying.
Acquiring Jackson would come with a heavy cost though. The Ravens will certainly want multiple draft picks, a few of them being first rounders, the Titans would also have to give Jackson a lucrative contract. Potentially, worth $50 million per season with $200-230 million in guarantees. Even if the totals come in at a slightly less amount, that is still a major investment. Also, you have the Titans’ current situation. Ryan Tannehill as the starter and the salary cap.
Tannehill would immediately go on the trade block if the Ravens sent Jackson to Tennessee. Maybe Baltimore would be interested. Tannehill on a one-year deal with only $27 million in salary isn’t the worst option in the world. If Baltimore doesn’t take Tannehill, which is more likely, then the Titans could try to trade him elsewhere, but with little leverage at that point, they would probably have to release him. The move would still save $18 million to give to Jackson.
The Titans could easily manipulate the contract to have a lower cap hit than normal in year one of a deal. They could use the signing bonus money as the bulk of the cash they give to Jackson in year one which would allow them to keep that salary low. Making it actually possible to fit Lamar on the team the first season, then in the next two years, the Titans are set to have a ton of cap space. As Lamar’s salary rises up to a more normal amount in years two and three, the Titans would have the cap to manage it successfully. The cap is not an issue.
Should the Titans pay what Baltimore asks even if they decide to actually trade Jackson? Maybe, but regardless of whether they will or won’t, the Titans need to figure out what the real price of the deal would be so they can accurately decide if it would be the right move for the future of the team. Nothing in this league creates winning like an elite quarterback. The Titans need to know if Jackson is that and how much they would have to pay to get one.
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