Aside from the fact of him getting under contract for the next five years, the biggest story in the AFC North this year probably still surrounds Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. The intention, at least on paper, is for the former MVP to throw the ball at a higher rate than he has in the past, and they’ve loaded up on targets this offseason in support of that goal.
Not only that, but they also switched out offensive coordinators, hiring Todd Monken, himself a former wide receivers coach. And as you might expect, the pass catchers are happy about it—even the guy who always get the ball, All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews.
“Just coming back here today and seeing him throw, seeing the way he’s seeing the game, his balls are incredible”, he told reporters recently of Jackson’s throwing ability, via transcript from the team’s website. He’s putting the balls on the money. So, he looks incredible”.
While he has since proven more than capable of throwing the ball at an NFL level, questions about how passing ability have gone along with him from the beginning. Multiple teams wanted him to work out as a wide receiver, ‘just in case’, at the NFL Scouting Combine when he came out of Louisville.
The Ravens did proceed to build an offense around his running ability, calling more designed runs for a quarterback than perhaps ever before in NFL history, leading him to set new NFL records for rushing yards at the quarterback position.
But he has been increasingly throwing a higher percentage of passes as his career has developed, averaging about 30 pass attempts per game over the past two years when healthy. And he’s played most of his career without great assets at wide receiver, or a reliable possession receiver, beyond Andrews at tight end. But they’ve added quite a lot at wide receiver this offseason.
“Yes, I think him throwing the ball [more] is a good thing”, Andrews said. “Obviously, his legs are incredible and special – unlike anybody else – but so is his arm. So, I’m proud of him, and I know he’s ready to work and grind and get together and make this team great”.
Since the offseason started, Baltimore has added two former first-round wide receivers to the stable. Nelson Agholor never quite lived up to that pedigree, but is still talented. Odell Beckham Jr. is a year removed from playing football, but if they get even half of what he could be at his peak, he will be a crucial addition for Jackson.
Not only that, they used their first-round draft pick on another wide receiver in Zay Flowers, who may prove to be the reliable slot weapon the offense has long been missing. And in addition to Andrews, they also added in 2022 another pass-catching tight end in Isaiah Likely, so Jackson should have more credible options to throw to than at any other point in his career. And I didn’t even mention Rashod Bateman working his way back, who has number-one potential.
