The AFC North is loaded with quarterback talent, perhaps now more than ever. Joe Burrow, when healthy, is in the upper echelon, Russell Wilson is teetering on the edge of being a future Hall of Famer, and Deshaun Watson has proven in the past that he has the ability to be a top quarterback. Lamar Jackson has the most accomplishments of the bunch, however.
At just 27 years old and entering his seventh season as a pro, Jackson already has two league MVP titles to his name including the 2023 season. In terms of dual-threat quarterbacks, he is already among the all-time greats. Jackson and Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh have a higher vision, however.
“In my opinion, the vision for Lamar Jackson, it’s a vision – it’s something you see it like it’s already happened,” Harbaugh said in a press conference after the Ravens’ opening training camp practice via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley on X. “The vision that we have together is that Lamar Jackson is going to be commonly known and be recognized as the greatest quarterback ever to play in the history of the National Football League.”
In terms of his individual accomplishments, he is already on a Hall of Fame trajectory. He became one of just eleven players to win the MVP award twice. He has the best single-season rushing total of all-time by a quarterback when he rushed for 1,206 yards in 2019. He has made the leap as a passer, too. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken helped him to his best passing statistics of his career with 3,678 passing yards and a 24:7 touchdown to interception ratio. His adjusted net yards per passing attempt was 7.34, which was the second-highest mark of his career.
Jackson has reportedly shed nearly 25 pounds from his 2022 weight. He has been working to increase his agility and athleticism. His rushing totals have dipped in the last few seasons, but a lighter Jackson could return to his 1,000-plus yard rushing totals from 2019 and 2020.
The big knock, and one that will remain until he overcomes it, is the fact that he hasn’t had much success in the playoffs. They have been juggernauts in the regular season, but he is just 2-4 in the playoffs.
To overcome somebody like Tom Brady, or the rapidly rising Patrick Mahomes (among other all-time greats) seems like a steep task. But that is the vision and that is the way the Ravens will operate for the duration of his career. They will continue to build teams around him and ride or die with him into the playoffs.
