Baltimore Ravens: Is Lamar Jackson a true franchise quarterback?
Despite Lamar Jackson’s incredible scrambling ability, his throwing has raised eyebrows, leading to questions about his ability to be a franchise quarterback.
The Baltimore Ravens had one of the greatest steals in franchise history in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft after making a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles for the No. 32 overall pick. Of course, that selection was used to pick ultra-mobile quarterback Lamar Jackson out of Louisville.
The Ravens decided that, with Jackson still available at the end of Day 1, it was time to find a replacement to former Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco. Jackson was initially overlooked by the other 31 teams in the first round largely due to his unimpressive throwing mechanics. Baltimore, on the other hand, took advantage of the opportunity and decided to use Jackson as the foundation in the reconstruction of their feeble offense.
As the story often goes, the veteran Flacco suffered a season-ending injury that propelled Jackson into the starting role as a rookie. And he never relinquished his hold on the job.
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Prior to Jackson taking the field for Baltimore, the Ravens offense ranked No. 11 in rushing and No. 29 in passing in the 2017 season. Even though Jackson only started half of his rookie season in 2018, he allowed the Ravens to retool the offense and adopt a run-focused approach. They evolved into the league’s No. 2 rushing offense and also improved through the air to No. 22.
In his second season and first full year as the starter, Jackson and Co. established themselves as the NFL’s top rushing offense by a wide margin as the young quarterback scrambled his way to winning league MVP honors. As they dominated on the ground, however, the Ravens were just the No. 27 passing offense.
Sacrificing the passing game, however, has been profitable for the Ravens. Jackson has helped guide the Ravens to consecutive AFC North championships. Moreover, his MVP-winning season saw him break Michael Vick‘s single-season quarterback rushing record with Jackson notching 1,206 yards to surpass Vick’s 1,039 in the 2006 season.
For as dynamic as Jackson is and as game-changing as his mobility can be though, it remains to be seen if he can be a pocket passer. The fine line between mobile quarterbacks and all-out scramblers is that the former category of players can execute inside the pocket. The latter, however, relies on the run to be effective at all.
Entering his third season in the NFL, many have chastised Jackson’s ability, or lack thereof, to remain calm under pressure and go through his progressions. His mentality remains run first. Should that continue over his rookie contract, it’s hard to believe Jackson — just like any quarterback — doesn’t have the longevity to rush for 1,000+ yards per year given the hits he incurs in the open field.
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If Jackson is to be the Ravens’ franchise quarterback, John Harbaugh and the coaching staff will need to hone his instincts as a passer. Scramblers don’t last in the NFL, meaning the reigning MVP must learn to throw accurately and consistently in the pocket. That’s what will determine his future in the league, despite the exciting present.