Baltimore Ravens Are Well-Educated on the Lamar Jackson Type
By Erik Lambert
People think the Baltimore Ravens have no idea what they’re getting into with Lamar Jackson. One merely has to look at who they currently have under center.
Joe Flacco is as traditional as quarterbacking gets. He’s a pure pocket passer who utilizes his large frame and big arm to attack defenses from a fixed position. He can run a little but it’s definitely not his game. This is the guy Baltimore has built their offense around for the past decade. How is that they can suddenly feel like they’re equipped to make Jackson a success?
He’s a completely different talent after all. Flacco is about size, pocket presence, and arm strength. Jackson is about athleticism, speed, and making plays with his feet in order to give himself throwing opportunities. This isn’t to say he can’t be successful. It just feels like the transition the Ravens would be asked to make is a bit too much given the current layout of their system.
Bucky Brooks of NFL.com though seems to disagree.
"“When the Baltimore Ravens sent out smoke signals indicating their interest in Lamar Jackson prior to the 2018 NFL Draft, I thought the potential marriage between the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner and the team was a match made in heaven. The Ravens not only had a front office in place that would recognize and appreciate his spectacular talents as a dual-threat playmaker, but they had a crew of coaches capable of putting together a plan that would elevate his game as a pro.”"
Doubters have ignored the Ravens’ history at backup QB
Yes, it’s true Flacco has been the man for years. However, people tend to forget that the Ravens have experimented with Jackson’s dual-threat style before. Have they forgotten this was the team that drafted Tyrod Taylor years ago? The same Taylor who left to become a Pro Bowler and a solid starter in Buffalo. They helped develop him into the player he eventually became. So why is it so hard to believe they can do the same for Jackson.
Next: Joe Flacco Showing Similar Lack of Class to Lamar Jackson
Just because Taylor never panned out in Baltimore isn’t his fault. He came around during the peak of the Flacco, a year before the man won Super Bowl MVP. He was never going to start, but the Ravens always had an eye on the way the league was trending. They saw Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson out west. It was always in the back of their minds. At last, they had an opportunity to fully embrace it and they did.