Go For It

By: Mike Rifkin

NFL free agency is in full force, and one of the major questions is what is going on with Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson? The Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on the former MVP, meaning a team can offer Lamar a contract, and the Ravens would get the right to match the offer, and if they don’t, they will get two first-round picks. We saw teams say they weren’t interested in Jackson when this occurred, and they went to other places on the market. But there is one team that makes sense to offer sheet, Jackson.

That team is the Indianapolis Colts. Look, I know the Colts were one of the biggest disappointments in the NFL last season, but I still like a lot of their roster. Since Andrew Luck retired, the Colts have gone with many stop-gap guys, including Phillip Rivers and Matt Ryan last season. You must take that risk if you can sign Lamar Jackson and pair him with Jonathan Taylor. Jackson is only 26 and can be the next Colts franchise quarterback. 

The Colts have the fourth overall pick in the NFL draft and could select a quarterback. But they might not get the guy they have the most interest in because the Carolina Panthers moved up to the number one overall pick to take a quarterback, presumably, and the Houston Texans, who pick second, also are presumed to take a quarterback. Now the top two picks in either order are most likely to be Bryce Young of Alabama and CJ Stroud of Ohio State. So if the Colts only like those two guys, they are in a challenging position. Lamar is a known commodity, while a rookie is not. Also, by bringing in Lamar, the Colts could entice other free agents in the future to go to Indy. I’m not saying the Ravens will not match the offer on Jackson, but if the Colts at least make him an offer, it will show the fanbase and the rest of the league they are going for it.