Is Lamar’s trade request hurting his trading card value? What would happen if he moves to a new team? Boardroom breaks down the options in regard to his hobby value.
Would a potential new team for Lamar Jackson hurt or improve his hobby value?
The No. 1 topic this offseason has been where will Lamar Jackson play for the 2023 NFL season. The former league MVP is venturing into territory we’ve rarely seen after he took to social media and confirmed he requested a trade out of Baltimore.
Only a few other quarterbacks who were NFL MVPs have switched squads, but it’s usually only later in their careers — Tom Brady moving on from the Patriots to the Buccaneers, and Peyton Manning leaving Indianapolis for Denver. On top of that, Lamar is in the prime of his career and arguably one of the top quarterbacks in the league. And while there’s a case to be made that Jackson could remain with the organization after Odell Beckham Jr. agreed to a deal with the Ravens for the upcoming season, the trading card hobby has taken notice with this recent development.
Lamar Jackson: Current Value
Due to the injuries and the lack of playoff success, Lamar Jackson’s cards have taken quite a tumble. His 2018 Prizm Rookie PSA 10 was selling for a high of almost $1,000 in 2021. Now, that same card sells for around $170. The silver parallel of the same card took a similar dip, as it was selling for $5,000 in 2022 but now goes for less than $2,500.
Could his value in the hobby turn around? We’ll take a look at past players to see if changing teams is the way to go.
New Team, New M(e)VP
As mentioned earlier, Manning and Brady changed teams late in their careers having already solidified themselves as some of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game. When they switched teams, both of them maintained their values due to adding additional Lombardis to their respective trophy cases — Manning also added another MVP.
What about quarterbacks that are still in the early prime of their respective careers?
The most notable quarterback that needed a change of scenery in recent years was Matthew Stafford, who was traded from the Detroit Lions to the Los Angeles Rams prior to the 2021 season. While Stafford’s card values have dropped since the Rams’ Super Bowl win, his 2009 Topps rookie doubled in value thanks to that victory, elevating from $250 to $500.
Jared Goff, the other quarterback in that trade, saw an increase in value after going from Los Angeles to Detroit. His 2016 Prizm PSA 10 was as low as $30 during the 2022 season, but after knocking the Packers out of the playoff picture, his cards increased to $140.
Another quarterback to look at is Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns. Watson has been stellar so far in his career before getting suspended for a slew of allegations of sexual misconduct, ultimately getting traded from the Houston Texans prior to the 2022 NFL season. While Watson may not have an MVP under his belt like Jackson, his card values have not dipped as much as you would expect from someone who’s only played six games in two seasons. Prior to the 2022 season, Deshaun Watson’s 2017 Rookie Prizm PSA 10 was selling for $300. Now, you can get it for $200, more than Lamar Jackson’s rookie from 2018.
It Ain’t a Thing Without a Ring
Whether Lamar Jackson switches teams or not could be irrelevant when it’s all said and done — what matters is what he does on the field. As we’ve seen with previous QBs switching teams, it doesn’t matter what you’ve accomplished previously, but rather what you’ve done lately.
If Lamar Jackson stays in Baltimore, he will have to return to his MVP-caliber level to increase his hobby value. The hobby doesn’t care what color jersey you’re wearing, all the hobby cares about is if you’re winning MVPs and Super Bowls.
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