There are more likely landing spots than the New England Patriots should Lamar Jackson not return to the Baltimore Ravens. But the Patriots nevertheless continue to be among the teams NFL insiders have floated when discussing the next step for the star quarterback.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler was the latest to do so Sunday morning while appearing on "SportsCenter."
Fowler, while sharing how Jackson hasn't received any offers since the Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him earlier this month, mentioned the Patriots under the umbrella of a "wild card."
"Right now there's no real firm offer sheet for Lamar Jackson that I'm aware of," Fowler said on ESPN. "Teams are probably slow-playing this. The draft could be a good indicator because you have a team like the Colts at number four. If they feel like they can't get the quarterback of the future they wanted to draft maybe they pivot to Lamar Jackson. The Jets, if they strike out with Aaron Rodgers, certainly that's not expected, but they could pivot.
"And then you got some wild cards like Tennessee or New England," Fowler said. "Teams that like to run the ball. You never know."
Fowler's comments come just two days after fellow ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano hinted at the chance. When discussing Jackson to the Patriots, Graziano said he "would not rule it out." They're not alone either, however, there have been others speaking out against the idea.
The Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson and thus allowed him the opportunity to negotiate with other NFL teams. If another team signs Jackson to an offer sheet, the Ravens would have the opportunity to match it. If Baltimore opts not to retain him at that time, it would receive two first-round picks as compensation.
