FanPost

Lamar is not Lebron

The draft day trade of Marquise "Hollywood" Brown was a good football move. It also feels like a message from Bisciotti and the Ravens. The Ravens may end up writing the big check to keep Jackson in Baltimore, but they are not going to let him become Lebron James and meddle in how the roster is structured.

Lebron has a long history of influencing the front office wherever he plays. The most recent example is Lebron pushing for the Russell Westbrook trade, a move very few basketball people thought would work. That resulted in one of the most disappointing seasons in NBA history. Lebron and Michael Jordan are both legendary basketball players and subpar GMs.

In basketball, you may be able to win a championship with a couple of superstars surrounded by role players. The NFL doesn't work that way. DeCosta knows this. And even though the Ravens are managing the public messaging around Jackson's contract well, my gut sense is that they're annoyed. The talking heads chattering about Jackson is a distraction, and distractions don't help a team win games.

The Ravens apparently reached out to Jackson to tell him in advance about the possible Brown trade. Good move. The Ravens also sent a message to Jackson and the entire locker room. As noted, they are not going to let Jackson dictate personnel decisions. They also aren't going to tolerate bad attitudes. "Hollywood" Brown wanted a trade, and he got a ticket to Arizona. When a WR ends the season with more drops than TDs, it's not a strong negotiating position. Brown may thrive in AZ, but he always was an odd fit for the Ravens offense. And Jackson's hit-or-miss mechanics and accuracy are not helped by a wideout with the catch radius of a dixie cup.

Brown wasn't a dominant WR, but he was very good and great in flashes. He was not, however, good enough to be a diva, not on a Ravens team that only tolerates that behavior from players destined to wear gold jackets. The Ravens pulled the trigger on dumping Earl Thomas. They aren't afraid to make bold moves to protect team dynamics.

If Brown wanted a trade, that's a situation that might have deteriorated and have had a negative impact on Jackson.

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