Ravens: ESPN analyst says the NFL might ‘figure out’ Lamar Jackson this year

The Baltimore Ravens undoubtedly have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Lamar Jackson. He’s a man who needs no introduction.

Defenses have struggled to contain Jackson ever since his rookie season. Through his MVP campaign in 2019 and his “down” year in 2020, few players require more defensive game-planning than Jackson does.

He is a defensive coordinator’s worst nightmare. However, some believe that his time as one of the NFL’s elite QBs could be running out.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said on Friday’s episode of Get Up that many people around the NFL believe this could be the year that Jackson is “figured out.”

What exactly that means is up for interpretation. Here’s the full quote for context.

"“There are a lot of people around the league that I speak to that are talking a little slick. They say this might be the year that everybody figures out Lamar Jackson. There’s sort of that feeling right now. He can definitely prove that wrong, but I think there’s a little bit of pressure on him right now.”"

Will the NFL ever “figure out” Ravens QB Lamar Jackson?

The hosts of the segment were discussing quarterbacks who were under the most pressure to succeed in 2021, and while Jackson’s name wasn’t among the five listed, Fowler believed that he was considered a “sleeper” pick.

It does seem quite odd, though, that Jackson continues to receive as much negative attention as he does.

After all, this is a player who is just two years removed from being named MVP and who finished with 33 total touchdowns and 3,762 total yards to just nine interceptions a season ago.

He completed 64 percent of his passes, had 7.3 yards per pass attempt, led the NFL with 6.3 yards per rushing attempt (for the second consecutive season), and became the first quarterback in league history to rush for 1,000 yards in multiple seasons.

All of this while Jackson is just 24-years-old.

Where is this conversation with other quarterbacks? Why aren’t we talking about Josh Allen getting “figured out” after just one great season that was preceded by lackluster play?

Is there any indication that would lead people to believe that Jackson will be “figured out” this season? And what exactly does that even mean?

Perhaps this is just another instance of Lamar Jackson being put under a microscope.

It seems rather unlikely that Jackson will be “figured out” anytime soon. But evidently, there are those around the league who feel it’s inevitable.