With one short sentence, Eric DeCosta on Wednesday addressed how Lamar Jackson's trade request will impact the team's plans for the upcoming NFL Draft.
DeCosta tried to dismiss most of the questions regarding Jackson, but the Ravens general manager did make one thing clear regarding the team's plans for the quarterback position amid Jackson's recent trade request.
"I don't think we really are," DeCosta said when asked if he is looking at the quarterback prospects differently, via NFL Media.
DeCosta said that the Ravens will consider drafting a quarterback in the first round, depending on their draft board. He added that it is also "quite possible to get a quarterback in any round" while stating that there are at least four quarterbacks in the draft who could help the team in 2023, via The Baltimore Banner. The Ravens currently have the 22nd overall pick, which means that they would likely have to trade up in order to have a shot at acquiring one of the top quarterback prospects in the draft.
As far as Jackson is concerned, DeCosta said he wants to continue to respect the process while avoiding discussing it publicly. Despite Jackson's request, the Ravens continue to express optimism that a long-term deal can still get done between the two sides.
"I'm following it very closely, just like everybody else is here and looking forward to a resolution," coach John Harbaugh said during last week's Annual League Meeting. "I'm excited. Thinking about Lamar all the time. Thinking about him as our quarterback. We're building our offense around that idea. I'm just looking forward to getting back to football and I'm confident that's going to happen."
While they may have faith that a deal will get done with Jackson, there is another reason why the Ravens don't have to change their pre-draft plans. In Tyler Huntley, the Ravens have a Pro Bowl quarterback on their roster who nearly led the Ravens to an upset over Cincinnati in the wild card round of the 2022 playoffs. He may not be Jackson, but in Huntley the Ravens have an experienced, capable player who is capable of winning games.
Quarterback aside, the Ravens have other needs that need to be addressed during the draft, specifically on the offensive and defensive lines and at cornerback. The Ravens may also be in the market for a receiver who can play alongside Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor and Devin Duvernay.
Regardless of what they do during the draft, the focus around the Ravens will continue to be on Jackson until a resolution is made. At this point, it appears that Jackson has three choices: agree to a contract that doesn't meet his desires, play under the one-year tag, or sit out the entire part of or all of the 2023 season.
