During the 2023 pre-draft process, general manager Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl were scouting out the talent ahead of their first NFL Draft as the decision makers of the Pittsburgh Steelers' front office. They were focused on rebuilding the trenches and finding cornerstone players who could be around for the long haul. But while all eyes were on the 2023 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens almost did the unthinkable.
During the 2023 offseason, the Ravens were in heated contract negotiations with 2018 first-round quarterback Lamar Jackson. However, most fans don't realize how close Baltimore was to moving on from their franchise quarterback.
A report recently resurfaced of the 61-page ruling finding that the NFL encouraged teams to collude included great detail about the Ravens' discussions with Jackson just ahead of the 2023 draft. It cited the difficulties with Jackson's microphone on his phone while trying to represent himself in negotiations. However, the biggest bombshell was that the Ravens were fully prepared to turn the page on Jackson.
"Mr. DeCosta was preparing for the 2023 draft in April 2023 under the assumption that Mr. Jackson would no longer be playing for the Ravens," page 32 of the document reads, via Pro Football Talk. "But on the eve of the draft, sent Mr. Jackson a new offer. . . . Much to Mr. DeCosta’s surprise, Mr. Jackson quickly accepted it.”
Apparently, before the eve of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens were fully prepared to move on from Lamar Jackson. This report makes you wonder what life would have been like for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the AFC North had this happened.
The Pittsburgh Steelers nearly escaped the best years of Lamar Jackson with the Baltimore Ravens
While the Lamar Jackson contract situation came down to the wire, the Baltimore Ravens were able to reach a resolution before the 2023 NFL Draft, inking Jackson to a five-year, $260 million contract with $135 million in guarantees. Since then, Jackson has played his best NFL seasons.
Less than a full year after signing his extension, Jackson earned MVP honors after leading the Ravens to a 13-3 record while chipping in 29 total touchdowns and 4,499 all-purpose yards in 16 games.
Then, in 2024, Jackson had the best showing of his career, recording 41 touchdowns while throwing just 4 interceptions, while combining for over 5,000 passing and rushing yards. This included leading the league in yards per attempt (8.8), passer rating (119.6), and QBR (77.3).
In 33 games over the past two seasons, Jackson led the Ravens to a 25-8 record and back-to-back AFC North titles. So it's wild to think that Baltimore almost moved on from their franchise quarterback.
So, how different would things look for the Steelers, the Ravens, and the AFC North if Jackson weren't in the division?
While it's impossible to say for sure, we can assume that Baltimore would have targeted a quarterback during the 2023 NFL Draft to replace Jackson. Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud went with the first two picks in the draft, and Baltimore was sitting at pick 22. Anthony Richardson may have been the target, but the Florida product went pick No. 4 to the Colts, and moving up that much would have cost multiple first-round picks.
If the Ravens stood pat, the next best quarterback on the board was Kentucky's Will Levis (and we all know how that turned out for the Tennessee Titans). If the Ravens had selected Levis in Round 1, they wouldn't have Zay Flowers right now. The electrifying wide receiver out of Boston College ultimately wound up as Baltimore's first-round pick after securing Jackson for the future.
Talk about a completely different Ravens team right now. If Jackson had not been with the Ravens over the past two seasons, it's safe to assume that Baltimore would have taken a significant step back and that the Steelers could have claimed at least one divisional title during that time. This would have changed their scenario in the playoffs, allowing them an easier matchup in the Wild Card round.
More than this, the Steelers would not have had to worry about Jackson darkening their doorstep for years to come after posting one of the best statistical seasons in NFL history in 2024.
We can talk all day about how the Pittsburgh Steelers are the best team in the league at keeping Lamar Jackson in check. We can also talk about Jackson's questionable playoff resume. But there's no question Mike Tomlin and the Steelers would have a clearer route to the postseason every year if Jackson weren't in the AFC North. To think about the Baltimore Ravens nearly moving on from their franchise quarterback is wild.