The Chiefs signed a Lamar Jackson, but it's not the one you're thinking of. Cue all the memes on social media.
Lamar Jackson (the quarterback) signed an extension with the Baltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson (the cornerback) signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Different players on different teams.
It's easy to mix up the two, but it's an important distinction to make.
So when the Chiefs signed Lamar Jackson on Wednesday, reporters made sure to add "CB" in their announcement to avoid any potential confusion.
Even with the extra details, many on Twitter were quick to comment with a widely circulated meme of Lamar Jackson playing as a running back in a Chiefs jersey.
In another universe, maybe.
Ravens' Lamar Jackson has long been critiqued for being a running back over a quarterback, and while the meme might draw a small chuckle, it could considered more of a compliment than a jab.
The Chiefs-Lamar Jackson meme is back, inevitably
Let's get this out of the way: can any current NFL quarterback replace Patrick Mahomes? No. The fact that Jackson would still have a spot on the Chiefs as a ball-carrier speaks more about his versatile skillset than anything else.
Maybe Josh Allen could also fill in as a running back, but by and large, there are few quarterbacks who could immediately jump in and take a starting spot on a championship-caliber team like the Chiefs.
As far as this offseason goes, both the Chiefs and Ravens have made savvy roster choices: the Chiefs saw two top wideouts leave for better opportunities elsewhere, but they solidified their offensive line and filled other major areas of need.
The Ravens, at long last, extended Jackson and made him the highest-paid quarterback player in the league and in franchise history; they also picked up two elite targets in Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers.
The Ravens' AFC North rivals and any Lamar Jackson haters will undoubtedly release a giggle at that infamous Chiefs-Jackson meme, but in the end, the 2019 league MVP has nothing left to prove this season. We'll see who's laughing at the end of the day.
