NFL Rumors: These Teams Inquired About Lamar Jackson Over Offseason

Several NFL teams, including two in particular, might regret not staging a more serious pursuit of Lamar Jackson over the offseason.

Jackson, who has played at an MVP-caliber level for the AFC-best Ravens in 2023, had an eventful spring that included a trade request out of Baltimore. The sides were at odds for nearly two months, but the Ravens ultimately signed the star quarterback to a five-year, $260 million deal ($185 million guaranteed) in late April.

But before Jackson committed to Baltimore long-term, both the Panthers and the Raiders inquired about the 2019 MVP, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. However, “neither team got overly aggressive with Jackson, and neither came close to signing him to an offer sheet that the Ravens would have had a chance to match,” according to Schefter.

As for why the market for Jackson wasn’t very robust, sources told Schefter teams had some concerns about the knee injuries the 26-year-old dealt with the last two seasons. The NFL insider also pointed out Jackson’s lack of an agent further complicated the matter.

Both Carolina and Las Vegas ended up having seasons with signal-caller issues. The Raiders gave Jimmy Garoppolo a three-year, $67.5 million deal in March but handed the keys over to rookie Aidan O’Connell in Week 9. The Panthers, meanwhile, used the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft on Bryce Young, but the Alabama product didn’t look much like a franchise QB for the long haul in Year 1.

Now, Carolina and Vegas are set to watch the playoffs from home, while Jackson has a great chance of leading the Ravens to Super Bowl LVIII.