Ravens to let Lamar Jackson leave as free agent? Mike Florio claims team may already have former MVP's replacement on roster

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens are still in the process of working out a new contract with the former MVP representing himself rather than hiring an agent. Jackson insists that the negotiations will not have any bearing on his intention to play as the regular season starts.

NFL analyst and host of Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports, Mike Florio believes there’s a possibility that the team could move on from Jackson after this season.

Any possible long-term deal for Jackson would be on par with the massive deal signed by Deshaun Watson when he joined the Cleveland Browns. Florio believes the Ravens could go another route.

"I think he could be a starting quarterback in Baltimore because then they could just pivot from Lamar Jackson to Tyler Huntley. Now, is there a drop off from Lamar Jackson? Tyler Huntley, yes, but with reps he could get better.

"And I remember last year when Lamar Jackson wasn't playing in a preseason game and Huntley played. Jackson said, 'I'm glad I don't have to compete against this guy as the quarterback of another team'."

Florio went on to describe how Huntley could be in line to replace Jackson, at least temporarily, if the Ravens aren't willing to pay what Jackson feels he deserves.

"So there's something there with Huntley and it could be a short term bridge if they get through the season without a contract for Lamar Jackson. If he should move on, they could go with Huntley for a year and just see where it goes, see if they can put the team around him to be competitive and then make a decision after 2023 on what they're going to do at the quarterback position."

Ravens have an offense that perfectly suits Lamar Jackson and he'll likely sign with the team for the long haul

Florio’s theory could hold some water. The criticism concerning Jackson surrounds his tendency to run over passing. The Ravens may feel that paying so much for a running quarterback who is at higher risk of injury could be an unwise investment. Especially after Jackson was sidelined with an injury last season.

On the other hand, the delay in Jackson’s contract could just be both sides working to iron out the details. There’s still two weeks before the Ravens’ season opener against the New York Jets and a deal could be announced by then.

Jackson is a proven talent with a winning record and the Ravens offense is built around his style of play. The Ravens may want him on their roster for the long run.