NFL Confidential: Will Lamar Really Get Traded? Execs Dish on Jackson, Crosby

[ad_1] The 2025 NFL common season is not over but, however we'd have a way of who may be the highest names getting traded this offseason.

A report emerged over the vacation week concerning the viability of Lamar Jackson's relationship with the Baltimore Ravens, whereas Maxx Crosby was disgruntled with the Las Vegas Raiders' choice to sideline him for the ultimate two video games of the season, FOX Sports activities NFL insider Jay Glazer reported. Jackson and the Ravens are nonetheless combating for a playoff spot in Week 18, however the Raiders are one loss away from securing the No. 1 total choose within the 2026 NFL Draft.

Are each experiences simply rumors that can finally be considered as water below the bridge, or are they foreshadowing potential trades involving Jackson and Crosby this offseason? FOX Sports activities NFL reporters Ralph Vacchiano and Eric D. Williams surveyed the league to see if each stars might really get traded this offseason and who may be all for presumably buying and selling for them.

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Government finds it laborious to imagine Ravens would commerce Lamar Jackson Ralph Vacchiano: The most important story of the NFL’s upcoming offseason might be the potential blockbuster commerce of quarterback Lamar Jackson. However that’s solely if the Baltimore Ravens resolve to commerce him.

"Why would they do this?" an NFL government requested me. "No matter points they've with him, they’re a playoff crew yearly with Lamar. Who’s the quarterback there in the event that they commerce him?"

That's the largest unanswerable query for the Ravens, amid experiences {that a} rift has developed between the franchise quarterback and coach John Harbaugh. If that rift is actual — Harbaugh denied it — and the Ravens resolve to pursue a commerce, changing a quarterback like Jackson "might take years — many, a few years," the chief stated.

"He’s a two-time MVP who’s not even 30 but (he turns 29 on Jan. 7), and also you’re going to switch him with who? Mac Jones? Malik Willis?" the chief requested. "The man is among the finest quarterbacks of his technology, one of the harmful offensive weapons within the league. You don’t substitute him with simply one other man.

"You want an actual Plan B in the event you’re going to provide away a quarterback like that. A mid-level free agent isn’t a plan. ‘We’ll simply discover somebody within the draft’ isn’t a plan. It might be totally different if that they had drafted a child they knew was going to be a star. However they didn’t. And so they’re going to finish up giving freely two, three playoff seasons looking for one, when the star is already proper there."

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If the Ravens decide to commerce Jackson, although, groups may be extra keen to pursue him than in 2023 Ralph Vacchiano: Almost three years in the past, any crew within the NFL might have made a run at Lamar Jackson when the Baltimore Ravens used the non-exclusive franchise tag on him. All it might’ve taken was just a few hundred million {dollars} and two first-round picks.

That was a value that no crew was keen to pay. So why would they pay it now, when Jackson is 2 years older?

That’s a query the Ravens must discover the reply to in the event that they put their franchise quarterback on the playoff block. There are two years remaining on the five-year, $260 million contract he signed in 2023, and each seasons carry salaries of $51.5 million. Any new crew would possible have to increase his contract to decrease his wage cap hit.

And two first-round picks would appear to be the least of what the Ravens would ask for in commerce.

Lamar Jackson msised the Ravens' Week 17 win over the Packers resulting from a again harm. (Picture by Michael Reaves/Getty Photographs)

The distinction, in keeping with NFL sources, is that two years in the past there was a widespread perception that Jackson was searching for a completely assured contract, much like the disastrous one which the Cleveland Browns gave to Deshaun Watson. No crew was keen to do this (and there have been allegations that NFL house owners colluded to verify nobody did).

"That’s an enormous distinction," an NFL government informed me. "You will get him now for 2 years and $100-something million, or you possibly can redo his deal and ensure it helps your wage cap and you've got a means out in the event you want it. These phrases matter."

"There’s little doubt he’s value two first-round picks. It’s extra about the remainder of it," stated one other NFL government. "I’m certain that’s what did it two years in the past. ‘You need us to surrender two first-round picks and assure him $300 million? And there’s an opportunity you had been simply negotiating for the Ravens anyway, so they might match the deal?’ No proprietor was going to do this.

"This time it’s a a lot simpler deal to promote to your boss."

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Who might commerce for Jackson if he turns into accessible? One exec factors to the Raiders as a match Eric D. Williams: In what’s lining as much as be an eventful offseason, the Las Vegas Raiders are monitoring towards the primary total choose and eventual collection of Heisman trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.

Getting into Week 18, the 2-14 Raiders personal the No. 1 total choose within the 2026 NFL Draft. The Raiders nonetheless have a sport towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs on Sunday, however on the high of the to-do checklist for proprietor Mark Davis following that sport shall be deciding whether or not to maneuver on from head coach Pete Carroll after flat-lining in his first season operating the crew on the sector.

One other vital choice shall be deciding on a quarterback for 2026 after a commerce for Geno Smith fizzled this 12 months. And with uncertainty in Baltimore about Lamar Jackson’s future with that franchise, Las Vegas is a possible touchdown spot for the two-time NFL MVP, and he might make sense for the Raiders financially, in keeping with a league supply I spoke with.

Jackson doesn't have an agent and negotiates his personal offers. He and the Ravens went by a contentious contract negotiation that included Jackson asking for a commerce earlier than consummating a five-year, $260 million deal in April 2023.

Josh Allen MUST have 'No Mahomes, No Downside' mentality 😤 all eyes on Lamar Jackson in 2026 Jackson’s deal is up after 2027, and he'll search a contract extension this offseason that makes him the highest-paid participant within the NFL.

The Raiders are projected to have $116.5 million in cap house for 2026, the second-most cap house within the league. That will give Vegas the monetary wherewithal, together with the draft capital, to make a play for a franchise-changing participant like Jackson this offseason, in keeping with a league supply.

"The Raiders would take advantage of sense, each from a talent-need perspective and a cap house accessible perspective," a league supply informed me. "As we have a look at the following two years, the Raiders have essentially the most cap house. The explanation why cap house is a vital consideration is as a result of Lamar goes to be in search of a brand new contract ASAP."

If Jackson will not be a consideration, the league supply informed me a commerce for Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray might make sense as properly. Murray's future in Arizona turned cloudy this season with the Cardinals when head coach Jonathan Gannon stated he would've been benched for Jacoby Brissett had he been wholesome again in November.

[More: Change of Scenery For Kyler Murray? 4 Destinations That Make Sense for Cardinals QB]

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Exec, scout involved about Maxx Crosby's well being Ralph Vacchiano: Maxx Crosby clearly has an issue with the Las Vegas Raiders after their choice to sit down him for the ultimate two video games of the common season resulting from issues about his injured knee. Crosby has made it clear he doesn’t share these issues.

But when the Raiders finally resolve to commerce him, it’s an excellent guess that different groups will.

"Love the participant, however I have to know the way damage he's," an AFC scout informed me by textual content. "I’m certain he thinks he’s high-quality. However the docs must inform me that earlier than I pushed for a commerce."

"That’s the large unknown," an NFL government added. "He wouldn’t be the primary participant who disagreed with a health care provider. However I’m not paying the worth he’d value until my physician is completely certain his knee is ok."

Jay Glazer provides replace on DK Metcalf's suspension, Packers' QB scenario, & Maxx Crosby's future with Raiders Crosby will reportedly endure a meniscus trim this offseason, however he was adamant that he wished to complete out the common season.

"I have been on the cellphone with Maxx a bunch during the last couple of days and he isn't completely happy," Glazer stated on "FOX NFL Sunday" this previous week. "He was like, ‘Jay, I play soccer. That is what I do. I’ve had a knee harm since Week 3 that I've performed with the complete time. They informed me they had been shutting me down, I used to be like, no, completely not. I play soccer. There is not any shutting it down for me. I need to be on the market. I need to be on the market with my teammates.' It simply wasn't acceptable to Maxx."

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One league exec does not anticipate a Crosby commerce, however Raiders might obtain Micah Parsons-like haul in the event that they transfer him Eric D. Williams: Face of the franchise and proficient edge rusher Maxx Crosby voiced his displeasure with Las Vegas inserting him on the injured reserve checklist for the ultimate two video games of the season to restore a nagging knee harm he had been enjoying by, bettering the crew’s possibilities of securing the No. 1 total choose with out their finest defensive participant on the sector.

"The way in which you have a look at it from my perspective is you play to win," Crosby stated on the "Let’s Go!" podcast. "You play to your teammates. You place the whole lot you have got into the sport, it doesn't matter what it's. There’s going to be bumps and bruises. You’re going to be banged up. That's a part of the sport and the character of the beast."

I requested a league government if the Raiders would transfer Crosby this offseason. "In all probability not," the league government informed me.

Nevertheless, if the Raiders had been inclined to maneuver on from probably the greatest move rushers within the sport, the league government stated Las Vegas might obtain an identical haul to what the Dallas Cowboys acquired again in a commerce with the Inexperienced Bay Packers for edge rusher Micah Parsons.

Micah Parsons was traded for 2 first-round picks and standout defensive sort out Kenny Clark again in August. May Maxx Crosby get traded for the same value? (Picture by John Fisher/Getty Photographs)

That deal included the Cowboys receiving two first-round picks and defensive sort out Kenny Clark.

"They’re totally different ages, however I believe the commerce worth can be comparable," the league government informed me. "The truth that his contract is completed is a big asset to the buying crew."

Crosby, 28, is 2 years older than the 26-year-old Parsons, who signed a four-year, $186 million contract extension quickly after the commerce. Additionally, Crosby inked a three-year, $106.5 million contract extension this offseason that places him with the Raiders till the 2029 season.

Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports activities. He spent six years overlaying the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and earlier than that, 16 years overlaying the Giants and the NFL for the New York Every day Information. Observe him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.

Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, overlaying the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Observe him on X at @eric_d_williams.

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