Analyst Wants to See Lamar Jackson Have Stephen Curry-Like Moment on Global Stage
Steph Curry sent shockwaves around the sports world with his clutch three-point shooting performance in the men's basketball gold medal game at the Olympics over the weekend, prompting the "Good Morning Football" crew to ponder which quarterback they'd want to see have a Curry-like moment on a global stage.
Analyst David Carr went with Lamar Jackson, who's already had his share of big moments and highlight-reel plays as a two-time NFL MVP with the Ravens and Heisman Trophy winner at Louisville.
"He's a guy that is much-maligned for what he can do throwing the football, and I wait for the day, I hope it comes, when we can see Lamar Jackson splash some threes much like he does on the ground, but I want to see the aerial attack," Carr said. "I want to see Lamar make a couple throws to win the big games, to get to where Patrick Mahomes is and win himself a Super Bowl."
Jackson made strides as a passer last season, putting up career bests in completion percentage (67.2) and passing yards (3,678) playing in first-year Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken's system. Jackson figures to be even better in his second year in the offense.
ESPN Pundit Confident Ravens Will Make Playoffs If Jackson Stays Healthy
The Ravens have never missed the playoffs with a healthy Jackson, and ESPN's Bill Barnwell doesn't see that changing this season.
Barnwell ranked the 14 playoff teams from last season by their chances of returning to the postseason. The Ravens were ranked third, behind the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
"Unlike the Chiefs and 49ers, though, the Ravens are dealing with a serious talent drain this offseason," Barnwell wrote. "Three of their five starting offensive linemen are no longer on the roster, while Patrick Queen, Geno Stone, and Jadeveon Clowney are gone from their defense. Mike Macdonald, the coordinator who helped propel the defense forward over the past two years, is now in Seattle, replaced by a first-time coordinator in former Baltimore linebacker Zach Orr. The Ravens also play in the toughest division in football, an AFC North in which all four teams posted a winning record last season.
"Having Jackson should help the Ravens cope with most of those problems, but it doesn't take much of a memory to recall how December injuries to the quarterback in 2021 and 2022 threw the team into turmoil, costing it a playoff spot and then a division title. The Ravens went 3-6 with now-Browns quarterback Tyler Huntley as their starter and currently have Josh Johnson as their backup, so if Jackson were to go down earlier in the campaign with another injury, I'd have serious concerns about their chances."
The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers, the other two AFC North teams that made the playoffs last season, were No. 13 and No. 14, respectively, in Barnwell's rankings.
Looking at Risers and Fallers Among 'Roster Bubble' Players
Press Box’s Bo Smolka took stock of Ravens players he perceives to be on the roster bubble following the preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. Here are some excerpts:
Stock up: OLB Joe Evans
"As an undrafted rookie, Evans faces long odds to make the team. But he is a healthy edge rusher, which at this point guarantees him a good look. Five Ravens edge rushers sat out the Eagles game, including three for health reasons. … With all of those players out, Evans played 68 defensive snaps, the most of anybody on either team, plus six on special teams. He finished with six tackles. A former walk-on at Iowa, Evans spent six years with the Hawkeyes. His size (6-foot-1, 252 pounds) and older rookie age of 25 might have dissuaded teams, and he wasn't invited to the NFL Scouting Combine. But the Ravens have had success with Iowa players, and Evans is exactly the type of under-the-radar grinder they admire.
"If the injuries to Daivd Ojabo and Adisa Isaac linger, the Ravens are almost certainly going to have to look outside the organization for additional linebacker depth. But for now, Evans is in prime position to make a case for a spot on the 53-man roster."
Stock up: CB Pepe WIlliams
"Late in the second quarter, Williams started creeping toward the line of scrimmage from his slot corner position. Once the ball was snapped, he fired untouched through a gap and buried Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett for a sack, one of Williams' three tackles in the game. Williams also lined up as the top punt returner, averaging 9.0 yards on three returns. He had one 18-yard return and a slip cost him on another return.
"The Ravens learned this week that slot cornerback Arthur Maulet is likely to be sidelined into the regular season because of arthroscopic knee surgery, and Kyle Hamilton, another of their top slot options, left practice Aug. 11 with a leg injury. That is going to open up more slot reps for the other slot defenders, including Williams. Against the Eagles, Williams showed that he can be an impact slot blitzer and also that he is being considered for a significant role on special teams."
Stock down: WR-KR Deonte Harty
"The Ravens signed Harty to a one-year, roughly $1.2 million fully guaranteed deal, but he has hardly been on the field. Harty has missed most of training camp dealing with a soft-tissue injury, and the past few practices he has done some light special teams work at the beginning of practice before heading inside. (Harty had also been excused from some spring workouts because his newborn daughter was in the hospital.)
"The Ravens signed Harty to be their return specialist after losing Devin Duvernay to free agency. Harty was a first-team All-Pro as a rookie in 2019 with New Orleans when he led the league in punt return yardage (338), including a 53-yard touchdown. He had a 96-yard punt return touchdown last year and has averaged 25.2 yards on 76 career kickoff returns. That experience gives Harty an edge over others, but each day Harty misses, especially in preseason games, gives others such as Rasheen Ali, Pepe Williams, Tylan Wallace and Dayton Wade a chance to make their case for that job."
Nate Wiggins Receives More Praise for Preseason Debut
As noted in yesterday’s Late for Work, first-round cornerback Nate Wiggins impressed pundits with his performance against the Eagles, and positive reviews continue to roll in.
"Cornerback is among the few positions in the NFL where rookie success doesn't happen frequently," The 33rd Team’s Marcus Mosher wrote. "The learning curve is steep, and most corners just can't get quite used to the speed of the NFL. But that certainly wasn't the case for Nate Wiggins this weekend.
"Wiggins played 43 snaps against the Eagles, recording three pass deflections and allowing just two very short completions. It's clear that his athleticism is already translating to the NFL, and he has all the traits to be a dominant outside cornerback."
NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter gave Wiggins a B grade for his debut.
"Wiggins' speed helped him box out his man on a poorly thrown go route early and he gave no quarter on a couple of comeback routes, working through the receiver to prevent completions," Reuter wrote. "Wiggins watched a touchdown late in the first quarter, getting lost in the inside action while in zone coverage instead of picking up the running back entering the flat. He did his job in zone later, though, coming off one target to challenge another receiver and prevent a sideline completion."
