It was certainly curious when multiple teams leaked to reporters their disinterest in acquiring Lamar Jackson on Tuesday.
While the former league MVP can be signed to an offer sheet after the Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him, the Falcons, Commanders, Panthers, Dolphins and Raiders reportedly do not have interest.
The oddsmakers took those reports to heart, as none have been chosen as a top-6 landing spot for Jackson if he does leave Baltimore this offseason.
It is the Lions who have been tabbed as the favorites, as they have the salary cap space and burgeoning young offensive core that would seem to make Jackson a natural fit in Detroit. The Lions have +300 odds to acquire Jackson if he leaves the Ravens, per SportsBettingAG.
Here is a look at the top-6 next team odds for Lamar Jackson provided he doesn’t stay with Baltimore:
- Lions +300
- Buccaneers +450
- Colts +500
- Jets +600
- Patriots +700
- Titans +700
Tampa Bay, Indy and the Jets all need quarterbacks, but none seems to be as likely as Detroit. The Bucs have been releasing key players and seem resigned to a teardown following the retirement of Tom Brady.
The Colts have the No. 4 overall pick in the draft and could be setting their sights on a rookie, while the Jets are hot on the trail to acquire Aaron Rodgers from the Packers.
The Titans are similar to the Bucs in that they seem to be in teardown mode. The Patriots are an interesting one because coach Bill Belichick is known for buying low on players, and if the market is soft for Jackson, New England could be a player.
Some of the teams that have reportedly decided to stay out of the Jackson sweepstakes are still listed among the candidates to land him. That makes sense, as there is plenty of noise during the NFL offseason, and developments can come at a frenetic pace.
The Dolphins and Raiders are tied for the seventh-best odds to add Jackson, followed by the Panthers and Commanders. All of those teams would make plenty of sense as a destination if not for reporters saying they aren’t interested.
The San Francisco 49ers are the other team with odds listed. Even though it would take a huge effort to sign Jackson and stay under the cap, San Francisco would immediately vault to a clear-cut Super Bowl favorite if it happens.
Here are the next team odds for each of those teams to add Lamar Jackson if he leaves the Ravens:
- Dolphins +900
- Raiders +900
- Commanders +1200
- Panthers +1200
- 49ers +1600
