ESPN's Bill Barnwell recently ranked the best NFL fits for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson. That means other teams can offer the quarterback a contract. However, Baltimore has five days to match any offer. If they decline to do so, the interested team will need to compensate the Ravens via draft picks.
That would be an issue for the San Francisco 49ers. More on that later.
The 49ers were one of 16 teams Barnwell named as a potential fit for the former league MVP, coming in at No. 15 in the ranking. That might seem unfair to the rest of the league, pairing a dynamic player like Jackson with other versatile weapons like Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey.
"When coach Kyle Shanahan traded up to draft Trey Lance in the first round in 2021, he was picking a player capable of fitting into the league's most diverse set of playmakers," Barnwell wrote while sharing why San Francisco should consider such a move. "Every back and receiver the 49ers use regularly on offense is capable of lining up anywhere before the snap and touching the ball as a rusher or pass-catcher afterward. It's an offense of hybrids.
"The only exception in that offense was the guy who handled the ball under center, as Jimmy Garoppolo was a pocket passer with limited mobility. Lance was something entirely different, and before his right fibula injury in Week 2, it was clear the 49ers planned to use him in a similar way to how the Ravens use Jackson. Lance suffered his season-ending injury while running Bash QB Counter, a run concept the Ravens use regularly with Jackson, who would fit comfortably into the offense Shanahan appeared to be designing for his second-year starter this season."
Regarding compensation, two first-round picks are the baseline for a deal in this scenario. However, that is negotiable. It's not what the Ravens must accept. If a different package would be enticing enough for them to consider parting ways with Jackson, they are welcome to accept it via a sign-and-trade scenario, without the interested team using an offer sheet.
The 49ers don't own a first-round pick this year. They don't own a second-round pick, either. Their first selection in next month's draft comes late in the third round, around overall pick No. 100. That would not be enough to acquire Jackson, assuming the 49ers could even find a way to fit a new deal for the quarterback into their salary cap ledger. OverTheCap.com estimates that San Francisco owns less than $6.5 million in salary cap space.
What might a trade package look like in Barnwell's imagination, considering that the 49ers lack significant draft capital this year? First, it would likely mean sending the former No. 3 overall pick, quarterback Trey Lance, to Baltimore. That is, assuming the Ravens even wanted him.
"Lance would have to head back to the Ravens, but would Baltimore feel the same way about him as Shanahan & Co. did two years ago?" Barnwell wrote. "These two teams would have to get creative. What about Lance, Aiyuk and a 2024 first-round pick to the Ravens for Jackson and a 2024 fourth-round selection? I believe the 49ers are more likely to stay put at quarterback outside of adding a veteran backup such as Matt Ryan."
Barnwell, trying to be objective about the possibility, also examined why the 49ers might not consider the trade. He notes that Lance is only 22 years old and has started just four NFL games. Giving up on the third-year quarterback before giving him a fair chance seems a bit premature.
The team also has a lot of confidence in Brock Purdy, this past season's breakout rookie sensation. The quarterback will undergo surgery on Friday to repair the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tear in his right elbow. He is facing at least six months of recovery.
Trading for Jackson would mean committing to the veteran player and drastically increasing the money spent on the quarterback position. Other stars, like defensive end Nick Bosa, will be looking for big paydays from the 49ers, with several more players in the pipeline.
"I also wonder if Shanahan and general manager John Lynch would be reticent to add Jackson given his injury woes in the past two Decembers," wrote Barnwell. "The 49ers saw two of their seasons destroyed by injuries to Garoppolo and lost all three of their signal-callers for the season in 2022."
What's the bottom line on the unlikely Jackson-to-49ers scenario? Is San Francisco a good fit for the star quarterback?
"The 49ers are a dream for any quarterback, given Shanahan's game-calling ability and the variety of playmakers available," Barnwell shared. "Jackson would slide right into the offense Lance was running before his injury. This would be an easy yes."