Last week, NBC Sports host Mike Florio raised the idea that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson could get moved to the Las Vegas Raiders. “Offer the first pick in the draft for Lamar Jackson. Before that they’ve got to hire a coach, but Tom Brady feels compelled to do something… this year people are expecting him to do something big.”
The speculation widened when Jackson reposted an X post with a kid in a Lamar Jackson jersey throwing around a Ravens football. Some people believed that it was Jackson reposting a cute picture, but some believed that he was trying to drum up a conversation.
However, Jackson has seemingly quashed those rumors. He responded to the original post on X: “Lol I just posted the kid in the jersey didn’t even read the caption.”
Jackson has been the target of trade speculation a few times in his career, most notably at the end of the 2022 season. In the final year of Jackson’s rookie contract, he played just 12 games, suffering a sprained PCL in a Week 13 loss to the Denver Broncos. Many people believed that he would be traded after the Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him, with teams like the Raiders being possible suitors.
However, the stalemate between Jackson and the Ravens ended when they signed him to a five-year, $260 million contract on April 27, 2023. He proceeded to win the MVP in 2023 and was a finalist for the 2024 MVP. Unfortunately, 2025 saw him play only 13 games again due to injuries, and Baltimore missed the playoffs with a record of 8-9.
Regardless of if Jackson is off the table, the Raiders desperately need a quarterback. They have the ninth lowest passing yards per game since Derek Carr was released in 2023, and this season, they had the worst scoring offense in the league (14.2 points per game) due to Seattle Seahawks acquisition Geno Smith flaming out.
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the expected No.1 pick, which the Raiders own, but Jackson is one of the most proven quarterbacks the Raiders could possibly get — if he was available.