Lamar Jackson has been nothing short of exciting for the Baltimore Ravens as a rookie, but is his style of play jeopardizing his NFL future?
Flash back to his days at the University of Louisville, Lamar “Action” Jackson was unstoppable. Jackson played like Madden 2004’s Michael Vick for the Louisville Cardinals every week with his legs and above average arm. The 21-year old totaled 119 touchdowns in his three seasons, also adding a Heisman Trophy to his resume. Jackson’s tenure in the NCAA gives him an argument for the title of “Greatest College Quarterback of all-time.”
Naturally, an NFL team was going to fall in love with Lamar Jackson’s incredible athleticism and make him their franchise quarterback. That team ended up being the Baltimore Ravens, who took the young man with the 32nd overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. The selection of Jackson signaled the end of the Joe Flacco era in Baltimore and gave fans a jolt of excitement for their future.
After starting out the year as a gimmicky run-only player for the Ravens, a hip injury to Flacco pushed Jackson into a starting role for the team following its week 10 bye. While far from an elite passer, Jackson has put on a fireworks show with his mobility and is finding himself on Sports Center highlights on a weekly basis. And yet, nothing is clear regarding his future.
This may sound like a strange statement, but looking at the facts and the tape should give us some reason to worry. Part of it falls on Jackson, but the other part falls the Ravens organization as a whole. But if Lamar Jackson stays on the path he’s currently on, his career will end faster than we’d all hope.
Is this a pessimistic way to look at Jackson’s current play? Absolutely. It nonetheless is an accurate statement that should get the attention of the young-man (hopefully). I know I’m not the only one calling for Jackson to alter his technique, either. It’s simply a harsh truth that needs to be addressed now.