As training camp nears, we'll look at five areas of focus for the Ravens. Today's spotlight is on two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson:
After taking his game to another level in 2024, Lamar Jackson is still striving for higher ground.
"I always tell you guys that the sky is the limit," Jackson said at mandatory minicamp. "We never know until we're out there. I believe we'll be a lot better this year as well."
If Jackson takes his play to another level, it will equate to a nightmare for the Ravens' opponents. In 2024, he finished with career highs in passing yards (4,172), completions (316), and touchdown passes (41) while throwing just four interceptions on 474 attempts.
He also rushed for 915 yards and surpassed Michael Vick for the most career rushing yards by a quarterback.
Jackson has cemented his case as the best dual-threat quarterback in history. However, Jackson's quest to win a Super Bowl remains unfulfilled, and that's part of what fuels him to probe for ways to improve.
"We were talking about what [he] was watching during the offseason," Quarterbacks Coach Tee Martin said. "The first thing he said was [watching] the games that we lost. He was like, 'I just want to know how we lost them and what we did and what we can do better.'"
How will Year 3 with Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken benefit Jackson?
Reaching a contract extension with Monken was huge for the Ravens organization and great news for Jackson. It gives an elite quarterback more time in an offense that takes advantage of his many talents, and Monken will look for more ways to maximize them.
In 2024, the Ravens became the first team in NFL history to score 40 passing touchdowns and 20 rushing touchdowns in the same season. They also became the first to throw for at least 4,000 yards and rush for at least 3,000.
In Year 1 with Monken, Jackson was learning the offense. Now he owns it. Don't be surprised if he makes more checks at the line of scrimmage and audibles into different plays with even greater success. The cerebral side of Jackson's game will continue to grow, and he's one of the best athletes on the planet. That's a potential formula for taking his play to a level yet to be seen.
How will Jackson's more assertive leadership translate into success?
It's hard to measure team chemistry and how much it plays into success. However, quarterback is the most important position in team sports, a natural position of leadership.
Jackson sounds committed to being more vocal this year, knowing his dealings with teammates can improve their comfort level.
"I feel like just bonding with my guys will help us out a lot more on the field," Jackson said. "Picking each other's brains, being around each other a lot more – we'll probably know what one of us is thinking ahead."
As a college quarterback, Martin led Tennessee to the national championship in 1998 during an undefeated season. He has spoken to Jackson about that experience and sees Baltimore's franchise quarterback using a stronger voice with teammates to set a championship tone.
"When I first got here in 2021, [Lamar] was the leader by play, by action," Martin said. "There was a lot on his plate, and he was relatively quiet. You kind of saw it a little bit during gameday when his competitive spirit starts to show, but being with him every day and being around him more closely, his communication – nonverbal and verbal – you really hear him in the back having side conversations. That wasn't the case a couple years ago."
How much will the Ravens' array of weapons help Jackson lift his game?
With the addition of DeAndre Hopkins, Jackson enters training camp with more weapons than at any time in his career.
A group of targets that includes Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Hopkins, Mark Andrews, and Isaiah Likely gives Jackson a ton of options. The prolific rushing attack led by Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, and Keaton Mitchell, along with Jackson's running, presents another headache for opponents.
Hopkins is the newcomer, and the veteran wide receiver could open up more sideline throws for Jackson. Hopkins is a contested catch winner who should help Jackson more in clutch situations.
"He is different," Jackson said. "I threw him a shallow today, he caught the ball so smoothly and got up. I don't even think he put his other hand on the ground to get up; he just caught the ball and just started [running]. That's some veteran type of stuff, like some super vet type of stuff. It's just dope to have him, and I am looking forward to throwing a lot of touchdowns to him this year."
