Falcons reportedly make decision on Ravens' Lamar Jackson

The Atlanta Falcons clearly want the world to know they're not going after Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. 

Soon after Jamison Hensley of ESPN and others noted that the Ravens used the non-exclusive franchise tag to retain Jackson's rights for 2023, ESPN's Dianna Russini reported that sources told her the "Falcons will not be pursuing" the Most Valuable Player for the 2019 season. 

Peter Schrager of Fox Sports and the NFL Network, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Fox's Jay Glazer, Jonathan Jones of CBS and Josh Kendall of The Athletic are among insiders who quickly echoed Russini's report. 

The Falcons were routinely linked with Jackson from before Super Bowl LVII through the NFL combine and into this week. Atlanta is set to have unproven 2022 third-round draft pick Desmond Ridder atop the depth chart at the position when the new league year opens on March 15. 

The non-exclusive franchise tag gives Jackson the right to negotiate with other teams, and Baltimore can match any offer to keep the signal-caller or accept two first-round draft picks for the 26-year-old. It's been widely reported that Jackson wants a contract bigger than the five-year deal worth $230 million in fully guaranteed money that Deshaun Watson received from the Cleveland Browns last March. 

NBC Sports' Peter King and NFL insider Jason La Canfora both hinted over the past week that Jackson could threaten to not play for the Ravens under any tag in 2023. The two sides have until July 17 to work out a long-term contract. 

In his update from last week, La Canfora named the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions as teams that could go after Jackson. However, the Jets presumably want Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers, and ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Tuesday that "a contingent of Jets team officials" headed to California to meet with Rodgers about a possible trade. 

Miami, meanwhile, has been called a potential landing spot for recently re-retired quarterback Tom Brady.