Patriots Rumors: Lamar Jackson Not Expected to be Pursued After Ravens Franchise Tag

The New England Patriots are not expected to pursue Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in free agency, according to MassLive's Mark Daniels.

The Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson, and he has the ability to negotiate with teams on a long-term deal. The Washington Commanders, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins are also not expected to pursue the former MVP.

It's not necessarily surprising that the Patriots are out on Jackson.

The franchise hasn't invested much money in a quarterback since Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, and Jackson is believed to want a fully-guaranteed contract in line with the five-year, $230 million deal Deshaun Watson signed with the Cleveland Browns.

The Patriots are in no place to offer Jackson that kind of deal, and they also appear comfortable sticking with Mac Jones at quarterback in 2023.

While Jones has been linked in trade rumors this winter, Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston noted during an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show last month that the Alabama product is "absolutely not" a trade candidate this offseason.

Additionally, Patriots owner Robert Kraft expressed confidence in Jones during an appearance on Cavuto: Coast to Coast on the Fox Business channel in February.

"We are blessed to have a great young quarterback in Mac Jones as our quarterback. I'm a strong believer in him and his development," Kraft said, per Evan Lazar of the team's website.

Jones had a strong rookie season in 2021, completing 67.6 percent of his passes for 3,801 yards and 22 touchdowns against 13 interceptions in 17 games.

However, Jones struggled during the 2022 season, completing 65.2 percent of his passes for 2,997 yards and 14 touchdowns against 11 interceptions in 14 games. A lot of his issues have been blamed on Matt Patricia and Joe Judge for their poor job leading the offense.

It's no surprise the Patriots are opting to stick with Jones and avoid searching for a new quarterback this offseason as the 24-year-old at least deserves another chance to prove what he's capable of with a real offensive coordinator in 2023.