NFL: Predicting the week one starting quarterback for all 32 teams

NFL QB Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
NFL QB Jimmy Garoppolo #10 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 33
Next
NFL, Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
NFL Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

Baltimore Ravens: Lamar Jackson

We’re right back to quarterbacks who don’t have to worry about losing their job anytime soon. Lamar Jackson has proven time and time again to be a nightmare for opposing defenses and even though he was injured for a bit of the 2021 season, he should without a doubt be the week one starter in Baltimore next season.

The good news for the Ravens is that is seems like they have found their backup as well. Tyler Huntley stepped up when Jackson went down and was able to run the offense without missing much a beat. Having a solid backup in the NFL is almost as important as some starters at other positions. Huntley’s emergence relieved the pressure of securing that role in Baltimore.

The big thing for the Ravens is something that will become a theme as the next wave of quarterbacks establish their NFL careers. Entering his fifth season, Jackson is in the midst of his final “cheap year.” After this the Ravens will have to pay up and that will tighten the purse strings on the salary cap. While Baltimore has been preparing for this, that will make it harder to bring in free agents to fill roles like they have in the past, especially on the defensive side of the ball with a new defensive coordinator in 2022.