Why the Patriots should make the trade for Lamar Jackson
Since the 2018 draft, Bill Belichick and the Patriots have been connected to Lamar Jackson. Yet, not a year goes by that we aren’t reminded that the quarterback could’ve been in New England all this time, becoming the next man up after Tom Brady.
Instead, the Patriots passed on Jackson twice in that draft five years ago, first with the 23rd overall pick when they took Isaiah Wynn and again with the 31st pick when they selected Sony Michel. Other than the obvious parts that still sting to this day, both Wynn and Michel aren’t on the team anymore, making the entire recollection of the night even worse.
But now Belichick may finally have his chance to bring in the quarterback he was once impressed with.
The Ravens announced on Tuesday that they were placing the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, allowing him to speak and meet with teams around the league. Then, if one of those teams wants to sign Jackson to a contract, the Ravens have the opportunity to match it.
The going price is said to be two first-round picks, which would be a bit steep for the Patriots, considering the improvements they need to make to the roster. But because of their previous interest in Jackson and Belichick’s repeated admiration for him in the years since, it wouldn’t hurt to inquire about what he may be looking for in a contract.
When considering the pros and cons of Jackson signing with New England, a few aspects can’t be ignored.
1. New England liked him from their meetings before the 2018 draft
It’s been said repeatedly that Belichick really enjoyed his pre-draft meetings with Jackson and has continued to reiterate that over the years, including before their matchup last season.
He was asked if Jackson’s play finally put to rest any concerns teams had about his style of play in the draft, and the head coach doubled down on his previous support for Jackson.
"“Without a doubt. It’s the type of the player, the MVP type of candidate. I think he’s more than answered them. But, we’ll see what his contract is, that will answer them.”"
Since Jackson has become available, Belichick could right his wrong from five years ago and bring him to the Patriots.
2. Bill O’Brien worked well with a similar style of quarterback in Houston
One of the immediate arguments against Jackson coming to the Patriots is his style of play and Belichick’s inexperience in coaching a mobile quarterback. But now that O’Brien is back in the fold, assuming a quarterback like Jackson wouldn’t work in New England is no longer applicable.
O’Brien was the head coach of the Texans when Deshaun Watson was drafted in 2017. When he became the starter the following season, his talent was apparent, and he quickly became one of the best quarterbacks in the league.
From 2018 to 2020, Watson completed 678 passes for 8,017 yards, 52 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions in 31 games. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in all three seasons and went to the playoffs in back-to-back years.
With O’Brien back in Foxboro as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, his previous experience would make it easy to coach a quarterback like Jackson. So what may have initially been a deterrent for Belichick is no longer holding him back from making the trade.
3. Bill Belichick seemed more unsure about Mac Jones’ abilities than Robert Kraft
The quarterback carousel last season was a dizzying time. First, Mac Jones injured his ankle against the Ravens (ironically), forcing him to miss three full games. Brian Hoyer was the initial plan to take over in his place, but he, too, got injured early in Jones’ first missed game.
That’s when we got to see the short-lived magic of Bailey Zappe.
Fortunately for the Patriots, the stretch of games that Jones was set to miss were easier opponents, which inevitably helped keep them afloat with a rookie under center. But because he performed so well despite the pressure he was under, the fascination with Zappe becoming QB1 was too much for some to bear, including Belichick.
Come week seven against the Chicago Bears; Jones was said to be returning from injury. Instead, what should’ve been an easy game was an utter disaster, and Jones was taken out of the game after just three series. Zappe stepped into the game and immediately drove down the field for a touchdown on back-to-back drives, creating more uncertainty about Jones’ position with the team.
This started the quarterback controversy within the media, fanbase, and, presumably, the organization. To make matters worse, Belichick would not unequivocally support Jones as the starting quarterback, and his answers about the situation were either vague or seemingly unassured.
We know now that Robert Kraft is on board with Jones for the foreseeable future, but with Belichick’s inconsistency regarding the quarterback’s status, it wouldn’t be shocking if he explored a trade for Jackson, a quarterback he really liked and thought about drafting.
4. If they’re going to take a more win-now mentality, Jackson could be the right guy
The Patriots’ unmatched success over twenty years assumingly made Belichick appreciate and love winning, which hasn’t been easy since Brady’s departure in 2020.
Most believe the head coach will remain in his position until a specific moment when he beats Don Shula’s legendary all-time win record as a head coach in the NFL. He hit a huge milestone last season with the 325th win of his career with a win over the Jets in week eight and ended the season just 18 games behind Shula’s record.
Because that includes both regular and post-season games, it’s certainly possible the Patriots could total 18 wins next season. But it’s more likely that it will take at least two seasons to accomplish that. At 70 years old, Belichick may be looking forward to retirement sooner rather than later, making the win-now mentality a lot stronger than in years past.
If that is the case, acquiring Jackson could be precisely what Belichick believes to make that happen.