Everyone is assuming the Las Vegas Raiders are going to draft Indiana's Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to be their long-term answer at quarterback.
What if they've got something else up their sleeves, though, a trade that would shock the entire league?
That's a bold prediction thrown out by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, through conversations with league executives, in a new article on Tuesday.
The prediction: Lamar Jackson, traded from the Ravens to the Raiders.
"This potential pairing has made its way through the rumor mill, and multiple people I spoke with who track such things used their one bold prediction in this exercise to designate Jackson a Raider," Fowler writes.
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He then quoted an NFL talent evaluator on the possibility.
"It just seems like there's been some consternation there with Lamar and the Ravens, and this would be the ultimate Mark Davis move," the evaluator told Fowler. "I'm not even convinced everybody with Vegas would be on board with it but it would instantly solve their quarterback problems."
This was not the prettiest season for Jackson with the Ravens. They were Super Bowl favorites, and they didn't even make the playoffs as he battled a variety of injuries.
Jackson is going to cost a lot of money for the foreseeable future, and if Baltimore for some reason got cold feet, maybe the two-time MVP could really be moved.
"From chemistry issues with the previous coaching staff to concerns about his availability, Jackson's relationship with the Ravens does not seem to be in the best spot," Fowler writes. "Baltimore probably realizes life with a two-time MVP is better than life without, which would mean a big contract offer is coming. But this is a situation to monitor, and how Jackson hits it off with the new head coach feels significant."
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As Fowler writes, Baltimore better get its head-coaching hire right. Because if the vibes aren't good there, the future of the NFL could look very different.
And wow, if the Raiders were to trade for Jackson, the draft domino effect involving Mendoza could be wild.
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