Lamar Jackson Next Team Odds: Former MVP’s Future Up in the Air Following Trade Request

We examine the next team odds for former MVP Lamar Jackson following his formal request for a trade from the Baltimore Ravens.

Trevor Knapp - Publishing Editor at Covers.com
Trevor Knapp • Publishing Editor
Mar 28, 2023 • 14:56 ET • 4 min read
Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens NFL
Photo By - USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens have a long-term problem that requires a solution: A second contract for Lamar Jackson.

The 2019 NFL MVP sent the sports world into a fenzy on Monday, announcing via Twitter that he has requested a trade from the Ravens. 

Despite the announcement, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh remained confident that Lamar would remain in Baltimore. 

Jackson concluded his rookie deal last season and has long been awaiting a lucrative extension that hasn't come. With the franchise tag at its disposal, Baltimore is still the favorite to enjoy Jackson's talents in '23 and beyond, but NFL odds wait for no one.

We've got the odds for Lamar Jackson's next team — if not the Ravens — and a few highlighted suitors, below. 

Lamar Jackson next team odds

Team (if not the Ravens) Odds
Bengals Indianapolis Colts +250
Bengals Atlanta Falcons +300
Bengals New England Patriots +400
Bengals Washington Commanders +600
Bengals Miami Dolphins +850
Bengals Detroit Lions +900
Bengals Minnesota Vikings +1,000
Bengals San Francisco 49ers +1,500
Bengals Tennessee Titans +1,600
Bengals New York Jets +2,500
Bengals Tampa Bay Buccaneers +3,500
Bengals Seattle Seahawks +4,000
Bengals Las Vegas Raiders  +5,000
Bengals Green Bay Packers +5,000

Odds courtesy of DraftKings, as of March 28, 2023.

Best NFL bonuses

Looking to do some NFL betting? Here are two of the best bonuses* available:

A) New users at FanDuel can bet $5 and get $150 in bonus betsSign Up Now

B) New users at DraftKings can bet $5 and get $200 in bonus betsSign Up Now

*Eligible USA locations only. Also, check out our full list of best sportsbook promotions for 2023.
21+. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER

Lamar Jackson's contract situation at a glance

Before we dive into some of the favorites to land Lamar Jackson's services, we should discuss how we got here. It's incredibly rare for any starting-caliber quarterback to become available, never mind one with the accolades and ability of Jackson. Yet, we are heading down that path and the current standstill can be attributed to two factors: 

The franchise tag

The tag is the biggest weapon the Ravens have right now and the reason that Baltimore isn't in an outright panic, as it theoretically affords them two more years of team control. It is also, however, a sizable roadblock to any starting point in negotiations between the Ravens and Jackson, who doesn't have an agent.

Should Baltimore tag Jackson, it would be with the exclusive tag, which is a greater number than the typical tag (which is the average of the Top 5 QB salaries). That tag would come in at around $45 million for 2023 — a fine cap hit for a QB — but would then balloon to roughly $54 million in '24, with a consecutive tag 120% of the previous year's. 

So, any contract presented to Jackson would have to have a starting point of $100 million fully guaranteed in the first two seasons. Otherwise, there's little incentive for the QB to sign long-term instead of playing on back-to-back tags and then hitting the market, as Kirk Cousins did on his way out of Washington.

In a vacuum, $100 million over two years for a franchise quarterback is negligible. For a Ravens team trying to contend, swallowing that cost — and an APY of $50 million over the remainder of the contract — could prove too much. 

Deshaun Watson's contract

The contract 31 owners have spent months stewing over is of particular issue in Baltimore. In giving Deshaun Watson a $230 million fully guaranteed contract, the Browns didn't just outbid the rest of the league but risked a new precedent in the form of fully guaranteed deals for quarterbacks. 

It's already bitten the Ravens once, with Jackson reportedly turning down their preseason offer of $250 million, with $133M guaranteed, over five years before negotiations ended. That refusal was down to wanting a fully guaranteed deal, as Watson received. And why shouldn't he?

Jackson is Watson's peer, from an NFL sense, and has accomplished more with an MVP to his name. After several teams lined up to morally bankrupt themselves en route to landing Watson last summer, there should be no doubt that Jackson would receive a similar deal if he hit the open market.

Favorites to sign Lamar Jackson

Indianapolis Colts (+250)

It's easy to imagine Jackson reinvigorating the Horseshoe, bringing a swagger back to the Colts' quarterback position not seen since the days of Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning. 

The question is — would the Colts be willing to mortgage the future for Lamar? While Indy has the No. 4 overall pick at their disposal, it would take much more to acquire the former league MVP. 

With a QB-laden draft featuring the likes of CJ Stroud, Bryce Young, and Anthony Richardson, the Colts may benefit from staying put and selecting their franchise quarterback on April 27.

Atlanta Falcons (+300)

One of the runners-up in the Watson sweepstakes last year, Atlanta would surely get back on the QB trail in pursuit of Jackson should the opportunity arise. Marcus Mariota's one-year stint was cut short, while rookie Desmond Ridder certainly didn't show enough to prohibit the Dirty Birds from upgrading.

Jackson would no doubt see the appeal in an offense already featuring Kyle Pitts and Drake London with plenty of flexibility. Not for nothing, Falcons owner Arthur Blank has incredibly deep pockets and has never hesitated from acting aggressively and spending. 

New England Patriots (+400)

The Patriots have struggled to find a consistent answer at quarterback ever since Tom Brady left Foxborough. Acquiring Lamar would not only solve these issues but make New England a formidable Super Bowl contender coming out of the AFC.

To do so, Bill Belichick will need to come to terms with the fact that Mac Jones is not the answer long-term. The former first-round pick impressed in his rookie year, but took a major step backward in 2022, finishing with a passer rating of 84.8.

According to rapper Meek Mill, Lamar preferred to join the Pats.

Pages related to this topic

Trevor Knapp - Covers
Publishing Editor

Trevor joined the Covers content team as a publishing editor in early 2022. Growing up in Vancouver, he studied Broadcast and Online Journalism at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), and interned with TSN and Sportsnet Radio while also writing for the Daily Hive.

An avid bettor of the MLB, NFL, and CFL, Trevor advises his fellow sports bettors to leave their hearts at the door and not hesitate to fade their favorite team. It's a strategy he follows regularly as an apathetic Toronto Blue Jays and Indianapolis Colts fan.

Popular Content

Legal Canadian sports betting

Best Canadian betting sites Ontario sports betting
Covers 25 Years Logo Established in 1995,
Covers is the world
leader in sports
betting information.
Covers is verified safe by: Evalon Logo GPWA Logo GDPR Logo GeoTrust Logo Evalon Logo