Both Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and quarterbacks coach Tee Martin have told quarterback Lamar Jackson that they want him to have even more pre-snap responsibility this upcoming season.
Jackson will be entering year two in Monken’s system, so he will no doubt feel more comfortable and familiar with the playbook.
That is a scary thought for opposing defenses as Jackson set career highs in passing yards (3,678) and completion percentage (672%) on his way to winning the NFL MVP award for the second time.
At yesterday’s minicamp session Jackson was tasked with doing additional changes of passing routes, rushing plays and protection schemes all up at the line of scrimmage.
Martin told the media he was pleased by what he saw, and it all raises the bar for this season. If the hype is real, and the Ravens are to really usurp the Kansas City Chiefs, then it could all be determined by how the vertical passing game performs in 2024.
More specifically, how the wide receiving corps develops. Lamar told the media that he would like to put in the extra work to make sure he and his receivers are on the same page.
He’d like to have a throwing session with the receivers after minicamp and before the start of training camp.
“They’re going to have to do it,” Lamar Jackson said.
“We have to. We’re trying to get to the Super Bowl, and for us to do that we have to grind. We have to build chemistry.”
He’s absolutely right, and if you’re a Ravens fan, then you must love the ambition and initiative that he is showing here.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.