With the Baltimore Ravens eliminated at the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, PointsBet Sportsbook has opened the betting markets on which team star quarterback Lamar Jackson will suit up for next. Jackson’s rookie contract expires at the end of this season, and the New York Jets are the early favorites to land him.
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Where Will Lamar Jackson Go? Jets the Early Betting Favorite
After five successful years with the Baltimore Ravens, including the 2019 Most Valuable Player Award and four playoff appearances, Lamar Jackson is expected to head elsewhere now that his rookie contract has expired. The Ravens and Jackson could not reach an agreement on a contract last offseason.
Jackson reportedly wants close to the $230 million in guaranteed money that Deshaun Watson received from the Cleveland Browns. According to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Jackson declined a six-year contract worth up to $290 million with $133 million in guaranteed cash offered to him by Baltimore.
Next NFL team Lamar Jackson will play a snap for
Jets +300
Falcons +400
Patriots +600
Raiders +700
Panthers +700
Colts +800
Seahawks +800
Commanders +1200
Titans +1200
Saints +1200
Texans +1200 pic.twitter.com/Ef2Hevxh4v— PointsBet Sportsbook (@PointsBetUSA) January 16, 2023
The New York Jets are the current betting favorites to land Lamar Jackson, at least at PointsBet, likely because they will likely move on from first-round bust Zach Wilson. However, the Jets will have only $7.9 million in cap space available at the beginning of this offseason, according to Spotrac, which slots in below the league average.
Teams with significantly more cap space include the Chicago Bears ($115.9 million), the Atlanta Falcons ($56.4 million) and the New York Giants ($54.3 million). The Baltimore Ravens will have $40.8 million of salary cap space available to them, which ranks seventh-best. The rival New England Patriots, a top option to land Jackson, will have $44.1 million available.
Several teams own shockingly short odds on the betting markets for Jackson’s landing spot relative to their salary cap situation. The Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans and New Orleans Saints are all already over the salary cap heading into next season. They’ll have to make significant roster adjustments before making any moves at all — let alone signing Lamar Jackson to the kind of contract he wants.
The Atlanta Falcons appear like the best bet to land Jackson at first blush. They have the cap space necessary and a run-oriented offense that fits Jackson’s playstyle. However, because this market is for where Jackson plays his next snap — not where he signs his next contract — bettors should beware. The Baltimore Ravens can still franchise tag Jackson, and he could play a few more games for the team as a result.
