Arguably the biggest criticism against Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is the belief that overreliance on his mobility inevitably leads to injuries. Both the Ravens’ 2021 and 2022 seasons spiraled into futility after late-season injuries to Jackson. However, he managed to stay healthy last season and they reached the conference finals for the first time since 2012.
One might think that putting on more muscle would increase Jackson’s durability, and it sounds plausible in theory. The past three seasons haven’t indicated as much, however. He played at his heaviest in 2021 and 2022 before dropping weight last season. Now he’s at the lightest of his career.
Jackson recently participated in a Complex Sports segment in which he responded to tweets. Responding to one user who said that Jackson was “2019 MVP thin” now and that it “may get spooky”, he confirmed the weight loss.
“Most definitely”, he said, as transcribed by Charean Williams for Pro Football Talk. “I was 230 two years ago. I was 215 last season, but now I’m like 205”. Jackson entered the league weighing 216 pounds at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine, and largely maintained that weight. He decided to add weight to “see how it feels” in 2022 but has trended in the opposite direction since.
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Jackson says he’s 25 pounds lighter than the weight at which he played just two seasons ago. To be clear, he hasn’t said that 205 is his intended playing weight for this season. He may add another 10 pounds or so by the start of the season, so we’ll have to see how that develops.
The Ravens had their most successful season under Jackson last year by advancing to the conference finals. He won his second MVP award, even without gaudy numbers, as well. Boosted by a 13-3 record, he went 307-of-457 passing for 3,678 yards with 24 touchdowns to 7 interceptions. He also rushed for 821 yards with five more touchdowns, though he fumbled 11 times.
Jackson owns a 58-19 record as a starting quarterback since the Ravens drafted him in 2018. He’s twice won 13 games in a single season, the two years he won the MVP award. The Ravens rested him in the regular-season finale on both occasions, but back in 2019, they went one-and-done in the playoffs. This time they managed to win a postseason game, now 2-4 with Jackson (and 2-5 since drafting Jackson).
If Lamar Jackson really intends to play at 205 this season, how will that affect his game, and the Ravens’? They spent money in free agency to add RB Derrick Henry, so perhaps they want to take some carries off his plate. They’ve tried it before, but they never had such a reliable running back as Henry.
The Ravens parted with offensive coordinator Greg Roman last year in part to focus more on the passing game. They need to take that next step this year under Todd Monken, and playing at a lighter weight will only increase Jackson’s off-script capabilities.
