Baltimore Ravens: How will Lamar Jackson improve after MVP-winning 2019?
By Sean Basile
A flash in the pan is now what Lamar Jackson has in mind for his NFL career after winning NFL MVP in 2019. How will he continue to develop this offseason?
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had a historic and fruitful 2019 season that culminated in winning NFL MVP on the back of a 1,200-yard rushing and 3000-yard passing season. Jackson led the Ravens to the No. 1 seed in the AFC and the first-round bye attached to his MVP bid. But unfortunately, the MVP and his Ravens fell victim to Mike Vrabel and the Titans in the AFC Divisional Round.
The 2020 offseason will now prove to be a pivotal one for the reigning NFL MVP as Jackson must continue to make the climb to the top of the mountain of elite quarterbacks in the league. He has already made great strides from his rookie to sophomore season in the passing department. Next year, however, we will see just what Jackson is made of in the face of adversity.
As has been shown many times, the NFL has a way of shifting the balance of power. What works for one team/player one year will not work the next, which is why we haven’t seen a repeat champion since Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX (in the early 2000s) and a repeat MVP since 2008 and 2009 (Peyton Manning).
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Somebody new always seems to arise from one year to the next, which is why Lamar Jackson will have a target on his back as he heads into the 2020 season.
Jackson needs to make significant upgrades to his pocket passing game if he wants to last in the NFL. His 2019 was spectacular — nobody could stop his running game and the Ravens completely dominated the league on the ground. But 2020 will prove to be different.
As we saw in Jackson’s losses in 2019, his running lanes will be shut down and defenses will adjust to his style. However, that’s exactly why Jackson and the well-run Ravens organization will be on track to get ahead of the curve and keep developing the passing attack this offseason.
The jump that Jackson made from his rookie to sophomore year was astronomical. He went from completing 58 percent of his passes and throwing for just over 1,200 yards (with a 6-3 TD-INT ratio) in his rookie year to completing 66 percent of his passes and throwing for over 3,100 yards and 36 touchdowns to six interceptions his second season.
Has Jackson hit his ceiling? I don’t believe so. Otherwise, the Ravens wouldn’t have kept Greg Roman on as offensive coordinator and extended John Harbaugh in the past year. Baltimore has a plan with Jackson and they’re going to continue to develop him in the pocket. Yes, Jackson will still be an elite threat on the ground for the next few years — at the very least.
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But with the great minds in the coaching staff, the well-oiled machine in the front office and with Jackson’s ability to adapt while buying into the process, the Ravens are going to have continued success in the foreseeable future. And Jackson, if he can improve on his prowess as a pocket passer, will firmly entrench himself as one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks over the next decade.