Baltimore Ravens Q&A: Talking all about Lamar Jackson
Do the Ravens need a veteran wide receiver?
@Bij_Sadoughi asks: Do the Ravens need to get a veteran receiver for Jackson?
Answer: The Ravens probably should have, but at this point Antonio Brown or Josh Gordon are the only exciting options available. Neither player is likely to be signed by the Ravens. The Ravens are probably going into the season with the receivers that they have.
The Ravens have seven wide receivers that should get a roster spot: Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin, Willie Snead, Devin Duvernay, James Proche and Chris Moore. Snead is the only experienced receiver there. This is a team that really could use a Derrick Mason or an Anquan Boldin. They really could use a player whose been there before and who can help the young receivers on the roster. Antonio Brown and Josh Gordon aren’t exactly the mentoring type, in fact they would need guidance themselves.
The Ravens obviously want to develop their young receivers right away. I think you’re on the right track with your question. It may be too late for the Ravens to do anything about it but a veteran receiver would have made a lot of sense earlier this offseason.
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@DJ_BMORE asks: What will be Jackson’s most surprising stat of the 2020 season?
Answer: This may be too subtle of a statistic but I’m going to go with it anyway. I think Jackson’s yards per pass attempt is going to move up from 7.8 to 8.6 yards. It’s not because Jackson will take more deep shots, it’s because I think he’ll get more out of his receivers. If you look at Marquise Brown, Devin Duvernay and Willie Snead, the ability to get yards after the catch is a common thread.
The Ravens are going to get a better Brown this year. He will be more physically ready and the experience he gained in his rookie year will help him. If you watched any Texas Longhorns football last year, you know that Duvernay can make things happen with the football in his hands. He got a lot of short passes, even by slot receiver standards.
I think Jackson will be even more efficient, he’ll see the field better and because of that his receivers will be better set up by his passes. Better weapons for a more experienced version of the NFL MVP means more out of each pass. Jackson will not just be one of the most efficient passers in the 2020 season, he’ll get more than almost all other quarterbacks per pass attempt.