Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images
The stage might be set for Jackson and the Ravens passing game to take off this season
With the long-awaited contract extension finally signed, Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens can get to work on building an offense that can compete in the deep and talented AFC.
The Ravens made a number of moves this offseason to improve their passing game, such as signing wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., drafting WR Zay Flowers, and hiring Todd Monken as their new offensive coordinator after the resignation of Greg Roman following last season.
According to the Ravens quarterback, Monken is taking the offense in a new direction. Speaking at OTAs, Jackson addressed the offense under Monken, and his expanded responsibilities under center.
As Jackson put it, Monken is handing him “the keys to the offense.”
The quarterback elaborated.
“You can change things when you want to. You see the defense, and it’s not looking right to you. You see some guy blitzing, you might want your WR to do something different. Coach is giving you the freewill to do whatever you want to.”
Jackson also signaled that he might be running less, and throwing more, in the new-look offense:
Lamar Jackson talked quite a bit about throwing more and running less in Todd Monken’s new Ravens offense.
“Do you think you won’t have to run so much, and it’ll be scaled back?”
Flashes grin.
“Absolutely.” pic.twitter.com/I2t4QWXBGr
— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) May 24, 2023
“Being able to throw the ball downfield … Running can only take you so far,” said Jackson. “I feel like in this new era of teams, and offenses, in the league I feel like we need that.”
Jackson also talked about how, in this offense, he can showcase more of what he can do in the pocket. “Less running, more throwing. I hear a lot of noise about throwing.”
Dating back to his time at Louisville, Jackson has faced criticism about his playing style, and questions over whether he can play from the pocket. While Jackson has shown both in college, and in the NFL, that he can excel as a pocket passer those questions will likely continue until the Ravens make a deep playoff run, and the passing game is a big part of that effort.
But to hear the quarterback talk on Wednesday, it seems like that foundation is being built.
