BROOKLYN- Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is in an interesting scenario while on the last year of his contract.
The Ravens are hesitant to give the former MVP a maximum contract extension despite Baltimore being a playoff team in every season under his helm.
What’s unclear is exactly what Jackson must to do to prove that he is a max-level player that can possibly lead the team to a Super Bowl.
Limit Turnovers
Jackson was on pace to have 20 interceptions in the 2021-22 regular season before suffering an ankle injury.In the 12 games that he played last season, he threw for 16 touchdowns and had 13 interceptions.
For a player his caliber, that is unacceptable. He has shown, time and again, of his ability of not turning the ball often while playing with high results for long stretches of time.
He has the MVP to show for it, as he threw for 36 touchdowns with only six interceptions in the 2018-19 regular season.
If he can get somewhere close to the success that he had in his MVP season, then he should be able to get a contract extension. It can be argued that some of his interceptions were due to the offensive line as he was sacked 38 times in 12 games.
However, great players know how to play while under duress and not force a throw because a defender is in his face.
Changing his Playing Style
Jackson has bulked up during the offseason, but the mind is also important when it comes to being a hall of fame QB.
For example, what made a player like Peyton Manning so great was that he knew exactly what defense the opposing team was in, what the weak points of that defense were, and the backup plans to counterattack any hidden coverages all crafted in seconds to give his team the advantages needed to succeed.
Jackson is still relatively young and has a lot of way to go, but it is warranted that he needs to rely more on his mind than his physical attributes to get him out of certain situations. In order to do that, he has to change up his playing style.
Jackson has a unique ability to run with the ball and doesn’t need to overly rely on it. He should either run with the ball if it’s in the play-call or only when it is needed.
Then there’s his passing offense.
Last season, Marquis “Hollywood” Brown and Mark Andrews became the first Ravens receiving duo to eclipse 1000 receiving yards since 1996. Andrews finished the season with 1,361 yards and Brown finished with 1,008 yards. Their next leading receiver was Rashod Bateman with 515 yards and Sammy Watkins with 394 yards.
Jackson, along with the Ravens, needs to find better ways to incorporate other receivers instead of solely relying on Brown and Andrews in the passing game.
Now that Brown has signed with the Arizona Cardinals, he needs to find another way to diversify his passing options instead of relying on two receivers for much of his passing game.
That also requires other receivers to win and get separation from their matchups to make big plays.
Playoffs Matter
Jackson must win at least two playoff games this season if he wants Baltimore to even consider giving him a max extension.
In the four seasons that he has played, he has a 1-3 record in the playoffs. His only win came against the Tennessee Titans in 2021.
He has to prove that he can be consistently good in the playoff and can carry his team to the Super Bowl.
He can’t implode in these big games, or he’ll be recognized as the James Harden of football – only good in the regular season but bad in the postseason.
