Steelers' AFC North Rival Ravens' Disastrous Offseason Continues As Lamar Jackson Officially Out For 2023

It continues to be a very good offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers. No, general manager Omar Khan and company haven’t made another signing. Instead, it seems Lamar Jackson’s tenure with the Baltimore Ravens is officially ending. After a strenuous negotiation process, Jackson tweeted out Monday morning that he has requested a trade from the organization.

If it wasn’t already the case, the Ravens have zero leverage at this point in time. Previously, they reportedly wanted at least two first-round draft picks for the superstar quarterback. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Ravens offered Jackson a huge $200 million deal, to which the quarterback scoffed at. Interestingly enough, in Jackson's tweet, he stated that he requested the trade on March 2nd. That is just under four weeks ago.

Who knows, if the Ravens pony up and offer the quarterback what he wants and deserves, maybe he will stay in the AFC North. At this point though, that seems highly unlikely. It will quite obviously help the Steelers, as Jackson has kept Baltimore’s offense afloat for the past five seasons now. His 2019 unanimous MVP campaign was the most memorable, as he put up 43 total touchdowns and 1,206 yards on the ground.

This past year showed his importance even more, as their offense faltered quite a bit when Jackson missed six games with an injury. He was unable to return for the playoffs, where Baltimore narrowly lost to the Cincinnati Bengals. As far as the Ravens’ next move at quarterback, it’s hard to imagine they would roll into the 2023 season with Tyler Huntley as their guy. While he somehow was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate in 2022, he struggled when he saw the field.

In four regular season games, he threw for just 658 yards, along with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Huntley made some plays in that playoff game, but they seemingly would’ve won if Jackson had been in the lineup. If the Ravens do get a high draft pick back in a trade, they could and probably should use that on a quarterback. This class has several top-10 options, including Anthony Richardson who would most fit the mold of Jackson’s style of play. 

Now as far as Jackson’s suitors go, it seems pretty up in the air. The Atlanta Falcons were rumored to be a primary destination spot, and that remains possible. The New York Jets are seemingly out of the running, as they will likely acquire Green Bay Packers quarterback, Aaron Rodgers any day now. The Miami Dolphins are perhaps the biggest wild card, although they do seem committed to Tua Tagovailoa for at least one more year. PFF tweeted out BetOnline.AG's odds, which have the Indianapolis Colts as the favorites to land Jackson.

The Colts recently popped up as a sleeper, as they possess the fourth overall pick in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft, which would be an obvious inclusion in the trade. That would allow the Ravens to get their new quarterback in the draft as well. For the sake of Steelers fans though, hopefully Jackson will land in the NFC. The Detroit Lions and New England Patriots are two others that have recently popped up as possible destinations.

Does this open the door for the Steelers?

The AFC is quarterback-loaded at the moment, and that will get even worse with the acquisition of Rodgers to the AFC East. The Steelers seem primed to make the playoffs in 2023, and the departure of Jackson from the division would only help that. In a season in which Kenny Pickett is expected to take a step forward, this would be another perfect scenario for the Steelers.

Where do you want to see Jackson land? With the Ravens likely losing the star quarterback, how do you think they will be in 2023? Does this open the door wide open for the Steelers to at least finish second in the division? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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