Daniel Jones is returning to the Giants in 2023. Whether that be on the franchise tag or a new contract, and one that doesn’t pay him the faux $45 million annual salary his former agency, CAA, reportedly made up.
But the same may not be said of Lamar Jackson, who, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Jamison Hensley, could soon be on the trading block. The star quarterback and the Ravens have yet to agree on a new deal, with Jackson set to be a free agent in March.
Amid that uncertainty, and with either quarterback a hot offseason topic, FOX Sports 1’s (and WFAN’s) Craig Carton has an idea. Albeit, one that’s a little out of left field…
The Ravens should trade Lamar Jackson to the Giants for Daniel Jones and their 1st round draft pick.@craigcartonlive explains ? pic.twitter.com/snJK51iYmO
— The Carton Show (@TheCartonShow) February 24, 2023
“The Baltimore Ravens should trade Lamar Jackson to the New York Giants for Daniel Jones and their first-round draft pick…you’re welcome,” he said on Friday’s edition of FS1’s “The Carton Show,” which baffled co-hosts Greg Jennings and Cody Decker.
“That’s what they should do. Everybody is talking about Daniel Jones like he’s a franchise quarterback, he wants five years, $190 million, right? So let’s deal. I’ll give you my franchise quarterback, you give me your franchise quarterback, and I’ll throw in a first-round draft pick. The New York Giants would become the Super Bowl favorites in the NFC. Done and done.”
It should be noted that Carton literally proposed a different idea on WFAN’s “Carton and Roberts” earlier this week saying the Giants should sign quarterback Derek Carr instead of Jones.
Carton subsequently admitted this proposed Jones-Jackson deal, which wouldn’t even be made in a fantasy football league, would end up “not well” for the Ravens.
And he’s right, it totally wouldn’t. And it wouldn’t be sunshine and rainbows for Jones either. Jones would be leaving a situation that includes an offensive-minded head coach in Brian Daboll, additional continuity with the return of offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, and new 2023 weapons by way of free agency and the draft.
While the Ravens are a better team, they’re a better team because they have the better quarterback, not because they employ an eye-popping slate of weapons. Mark Andrews is an elite-level tight end, but would he be as dominant with Jones?
Jones greatly improved last season, but he still might not even be a top-15 quarterback. He’s not Patrick Mahomes; he’s not someone who could figure it out in most systems, so it’s unconfirmed if he would in Baltimore.
So with all that said, the Ravens wouldn’t ever go through with it. Especially considering that first-round pick in this baffling trade proposal wouldn’t come until No. 25 overall.
The Giants would also have a massive contract on their hands if they were to trade for Jackson. It’s not like they have unlimited funds in the bank (a decent, but not overwhelming $46.9 million in available cap space, per Over The Cap). And Jackson reportedly turned down a Ravens offer worth around $50 million per year (five years, nearly $250 million with $133 million guaranteed). According to Fowler and Hensley, Jackson’s counteroffers are all fully-guaranteed deals that surpass that of Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson (five years, $230 million, $46 million per year).
If the Giants aren’t in a great financial spot to pay their quarterback $45 million per year, they’re certainly not in a position to give up draft capital and upwards of $50 million annually.
