One former Patriots player wants to see Lamar Jackson in navy next season and says Jackson can make New England a serious Super Bowl contender.
With Aaron Rodgers set to join the New York Jets this offseason, Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens is yet another towering quarterback domino to drop. Jackson has always divided the crowd with his dual-threat abilities and unorthodox style of play, and when Rodgers comes to the AFC, Jackson will arguably break out of the top five quarterbacks in the conference.
As a young player entering his prime with budding franchise potential, Jackson can still level up any team that lacks a reliable starting under position, and that includes the New England Patriots.
Former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich recently appeared on ESPN’s Get Up and explained why he thinks the Patriots franchise should go all out on Jackson this season:
Ninkovich’s most controversial line is to have the Patriots join the “Super Bowl hunt” if they were to capture Jackson in 2023.
Lamar Jackson to the New England Patriots would turn the AFC East into a war zone
Jackson alone *maybe* can’t hold an offensively handicapped Patriots team that includes Joe Smith-Schuster as the first wide receiver. He will face Josh Allen and Stephon Diggs at Buffalo and TWA, Tyrek Hill/Jaylen Waddell at Miami and Aaron Rodgers and all his friends in New York.
This is Hunger Games-level competition and will make East Asia the toughest challenge in the NFL. Forget about the Super Bowl – try to get it out of the division first.
While getting Jackson may not immediately put New England into winning mode now, he’s a more optimistic option than Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe and can at least help the Patriots’ combined streak of winning seasons.
Earlier this season, the Ravens placed a non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, allowing him to negotiate with other teams and potentially sign an offer sheet.
Whether out of complicity or sheer ignorance, several NFL teams have publicly come out on Jackson; Any team willing to dance with him would have to bid more than the guaranteed three-year, $133 million contract Baltimore has already offered him and figured out more than two first rounds.
The Pats weren’t attached to Jackson at all in 2023 as Bill Belichick appeared content to room at quarterback, but things in the NFL can change at the drop of a dime.
Looks like Baltimore is already preparing for the exit of Lamar Jackson – maybe Jackson would like to explore a new challenge in East Asia? If the money is there, the rest will be nothing.
