One of the biggest questions about the 2023 NFL season is who will be lining up under center for the Baltimore Ravens. It is appearing more and more likely that Lamar Jackson will not be QB1 in Baltimore, especially after revealing he had requested a trade. However, while Jackson must operate within the confines of the non-exclusive franchise tag the Ravens placed on him, the official stance of the team is that Jackson was their QB1 going forwards.
However, that all appears to have changed thanks to a statement from Ravens General Manager Eric DeCosta. It's no secret that 2023 features a stacked draft class at quarterback. Many experts predict that four quarterbacks will be picked in the top 10, if not the top 5. However, the positional class extends beyond the likes of C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Will Levis, and Anthony Richardson. Players like Hendon Hooker, Tanner McKee, Max Duggan, and Stetson Bennett are all viewed as early-to-mid-round picks. But DeCosta's comments to the media on Wednesday may have completely changed the draft.
Ravens Not Afraid To Take QB
The Ravens' pre-draft press conference on Wednesday afternoon was a tale of two stories. While the team representatives refused to answer any direct questions about Lamar Jackson's status with the team, GM Eric DeCosta did give one eye-opening answer when asked if the Ravens would consider going quarterback in the first round. "It depends on the board, it really does," DeCosta said. "I mean, I'd have to say yes because we have quarterbacks in our top 31. So just based on that alone, simple math, I would have to say yes."
However, Ravens fans should not take DeCosta's admission as a concrete sign that the team is moving on from Lamar. The Ravens hold the 22nd pick in the first round and just five picks across the entire draft. That does not give them a lot of capital to trade up with if they wanted to aggressively pursue the quarterback position. Furthermore, DeCosta also highlighted both wide receivers and cornerbacks, both positions of need for the Ravens, as potential targets. "You know us...we love corners" DeCosta said. But with the team going on record to say that quarterback is not off the table, the Lamar Jackson saga is seemingly far from over.
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