Lamar Jackson
Getty
The Baltimore Ravens have been named a landing spot for a former No. 4 draft pick to backup Lamar Jackson.
The Baltimore Ravens are set at quarterback as long as Lamar Jackson stays in town, but that doesn’t mean the team shouldn’t shake up the rest of the depth chart, particularly if general manager Eric DeCosta can put a former fourth-overall NFL draft pick behind Jackson, all for the modest cost of a single late-round pick this year.
It’s a scenario mapped out by The Ringer’s Diante Lee when assessing the trade market for deposed Indianapolis Colts starter Anthony Richardson. The mobile signal-caller drafted in the top five three years ago finds himself on the block, and Lee believes “Richardson likely wants a team that can commit to his development for the next two years, but I’m not certain any team would give him a clear runway to becoming a starter. It would probably be best for him to land with the Bills, Packers, or Ravens—all spots where he could serve as a backup to an established starter and get the time he needs to develop behind the scenes.”
This possibility should appeal to a Ravens front office tipped to be bargain conscious during 2026 NFL free agency. Lee expects Richardson would be dealt “for a sixth-round pick, similar to Zach Wilson in 2024 or Justin Fields in 2024.”
Engineering a trade for Richardson would put a young and dynamic playmaker among a position group woefully thin behind Jackson at football’s most important position.
Anthony Richardson a Low-Cost Risk for Ravens
Richardson still has a lot to do to prove he can refine his game to navigate the nuances of the pros with something other than his obvious athletic gifts. He needs to display more comfort diagnosing pressure, making quick post-snap reads and delivering consistent ball placement.
It’s a fairly hefty to-do list, but 23-year-old Richardson is still young enough to develop sharper processing instincts and more polished mechanics. The challenge is similar to what Jackson once faced as a dual-threat QB who needed to defy his critics, so the two-time NFL MVP would provide the ideal inspiration for Richardson’s next career arc, provided the latter can stay healthy.
An orbital fracture and subsequent surgery cost him 12 games last season, while Richardson missed as many contests as a rookie thanks to a sprained shoulder. Getting back to 100 percent at M&T Bank Stadium would let Richardson show the Ravens the talents they tried to identify during a pre-draft visit in 2023.
Richardson meeting those expectations would make him a more exciting QB2 than dependable veteran deputy Tyler Huntley. The latter is somebody the Ravens are encouraged to bring back in free agency because of his Pro Bowl credentials and history of clutch cameos, but Richardson has greater upside than the 28-year-old.
Upside is something DeCosta and the Ravens may value more than reliability when Jackson’s own longterm future is far from certain.
Lamar Jackson’s Next Contract Still a Problem
Sorting out a lucrative new deal for Jackson is an issue DeCosta can’t ignore. The issue will likely dominate offseason headlines for a franchise expected by ESPN’s Seth Walder to “be quiet with signing other teams’ free agents.”
Walder also pointed out how “the Ravens have the third-least amount of 2027 cap space currently.” It’s a far from ideal situation when key players, three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum and move tight end Isaiah Likely are free agents.
Retaining at least one member of that duo, while finding a way to pay Jackson, will dominate DeCosta’s strategy. It means an expensive trade for a marquee wide receiver is less likely than a cost-effective deal to secure a natural understudy for Jackson, who would also provide insurance against the unthinkable happening between the Ravens and No. 8.