During this year’s NFL offseason, the New England Patriots have made a slew of free agent signings. Mike Gesicki, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and James Robinson are among the new signees.

Superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson, however, remains franchised tagged by the Baltimore Ravens, a team that doesn’t wish to pay him. Every fan-run sports blog has a rumor linking Jackson to their respective NFL team, but nothing has materialized.

On Monday’s Toucher & Rich program, Patriots staff writer Evan Lazar joined the show to discuss whether or not Jackson could land in New England.

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  FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 25: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots shakes hands with quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens after Baltimore’s 37-26 win at Gillette Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

• ANY CHANCE THE PATRIOTS TRADE FOR LAMAR JACKSON?

  Evan Lazar: I’m a huge Lamar Jackson fan. I think he’d be excellent anywhere he goes. 

  The biggest thing with him is that we’ve heard a team would need to give up two first-round picks for him. That’s not necessarily the case because you can negotiate that trade. It doesn’t have to be two first-round picks. You can give out a different side deal with the Baltimore Ravens. 

• “And then you got some wild cards like Tennessee or New England,” ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler said regarding Lamar Jackson: “Teams that like to run the ball. You never know.”
  
  Two days before another ESPN #NFL insider Dan Graziano hinted at the chance:
  
  When discussing Jackson to… pic.twitter.com/3BBBj8EdJQ

  — MLFootball (@_MLFootball) March 20, 2023

• Evan Lazar: If you’re Lamar Jackson, you have the leverage to say, “I’m not playing another down in Baltimore if you don’t want me here. You won’t give me the money I want, so I’ll find it elsewhere. Trade me.” 

  His price tag could come down slightly, but I can’t see the Patriots parting with draft capital. Then they’d have to give Jackson $200 million and build their roster around him. 

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  TAMPA, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 27: Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens carries the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the fourth quarter at Raymond James Stadium on October 27, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)

• Evan Lazar: We’ll see what happens with Mac Jones in year three, but I think now they’d rather keep him on the rookie contract. Right now, they can continue building around Mac Jones and revisit the quarterback position next offseason if that time comes. 

• Full Segment

• Follow @Toucherandrich on Twitter, @Toucherandrichofficial and @fredtoucher on Instagram to keep up with the show!

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