Ravens' Lamar Jackson again linked with Falcons

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has once again been linked with the Atlanta Falcons.

"Fed up after two years of fruitless extension negotiations, the Ravens franchise-tag Jackson," NFL reporter Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post said of a potential scenario for a piece published Friday. "Falcons owner Arthur Blank — who built a close friendship with Michael Vick — sees Jackson as a carbon copy and OKs dealing three first-round picks and fully guaranteeing a new contract, copying the (Cleveland Browns') move to beat the Falcons in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes last offseason."

Last month, NFL insider Jason La Canfora of The Washington Post explained that the Falcons and Carolina Panthers could emerge as realistic landing spots for Jackson before the new league year opens in March. Roughly one week later, "top league executives" asked to produce "bold takes," told Jeremy Fowler of ESPN they could see Jackson ending up in Atlanta. 

La Canfora and Fowler both pointed out that the Ravens will likely want to trade Jackson out of the AFC if they don't hold onto him through the summer. That was before NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on "The Pat McAfee Show" that he believes Baltimore will use the exclusive franchise tag to retain Jackson's rights for 2023 so that the club can then "set the price" for a possible trade involving the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player. 

It's widely thought Jackson and the Ravens didn't come to terms on an extension last year because he wanted a fully guaranteed contract similar to what the Browns gave Watson. Jackson almost certainly would be an upgrade for the Falcons at the sport's most important position over 2022 rookie Desmond Ridder, but that doesn't mean they'd guarantee the 26-year-old anywhere around $230 million across five seasons. 

For what it's worth, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta strongly insisted in January that Jackson will remain their QB1 until further notice.