Lamar Jackson Is Overwhelming Choice for MVP in Survey of His Peers at Pro Bowl
Lamar Jackson is expected to win his second league MVP trophy at NFL Honors tomorrow night, and his peers have endorsed him for the award as well.
Jackson was the clear choice for MVP in a survey of 35 players conducted by Fox Sports at the Pro Bowl last weekend.
"This is the third year we've asked players for their MVP picks, and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had the most dominant showing of any player in those three seasons," Fox Sports' Greg Auman wrote. "After leading Baltimore to the AFC Championship Game, he was the choice for 21 of the 35 players, often framed as 'it's got to be Lamar' or 'easy one: Lamar.'"
San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was a distant second with four votes.
Also in the voting, defensive tackle Justin Madubuike shared the Most Underrated Defensive Player of the Year award with Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland. They each had two votes. Safety Kyle Hamilton and inside linebacker Patrick Queen received one vote apiece.
Madubuike also received two votes for Defensive Player of the Year, with Hamilton and inside linebacker Roquan Smith getting one vote apiece. Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt won with six votes.
Greg Roman Reportedly Will Be Chargers' New Offensive Coordinator
The Los Angeles Chargers continue to fill key positions with individuals who have history with the Ravens.
Greg Roman, the Ravens' offensive coordinator from 2019-2022, has agreed to a deal to become the Chargers' offensive coordinator, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Roman will be reunited with new Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. He was a member of Harbaugh's staffs with Stanford and the 49ers.
Meanwhile, the Chargers announced the hiring of Jesse Minter as defensive coordinator yesterday. Minter was a defensive assistant coach with the Ravens from 2017-2020 and Harbaugh's defensive coordinator at Michigan the past two seasons, succeeding Mike Macdonald.
Last week, Joe Hortiz left his position as the Ravens' director of player personnel after 26 years with the organization to become the Chargers' general manager.
The Ravens will play the Chargers on the road in 2024.
Early Predictions on How Ravens Will Fare in 2024
The Ravens have the second-toughest schedule in the NFL next season based on their opponents' 2023 winning percentage. With that in mind, The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker and Childs Walker made their way-too-early predictions on how the Ravens will fare in 2024:
Wacker: "Given all the turnover on the roster and among the coaching staff, it's hard to imagine the Ravens matching what they did in the regular season. Plus, division foes the Bengals and Steelers should both be better next year, along with other teams like the Chargers. But maybe that's not the worst thing. Perhaps Jackson plays better as the underdog than a Super Bowl favorite. Maybe the Ravens are better off having to go on the road and can somehow avoid the Chiefs. Still, based on Baltimore's opponents I see a 10-7 record at best and another season without a Super Bowl appearance."
Walker: "It's worth remembering that for all our hand-wringing over his postseason performance, Jackson is 58-19 as a regular-season starter. This was the NFL's best team, with a string of resounding victories over elite opponents. They'll still have a top defense led by All-Pros Smith and Hamilton and coordinated by Mike Macdonald's sharp, charismatic young protege, Zach Orr. Even if the Ravens take a step back, they'll be plenty good, with 11 wins as a reasonable baseline. And their fans won't be convinced by any of it until the Ravens show up with a great performance in late January."
Ravens Trade Out of First Round in NFL.com Analyst's Mock Draft
NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein released his first 2024 mock draft, and in the first round he has the Ravens selecting … no one.
In Zierlein's scenario, the Ravens trade out of the first round, sending their No. 30 pick to the New England Patriots.
The last time the Ravens didn't make a first-round pick was 2012, when they traded the 29th-overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a second-round and a fourth-round pick.
