Unfortunately, there has been a lot of negative offseason coverage about Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Of course, his placement on the NFL Top 100 list is the prime example, but a lot of pundits have taken unnecessary (and unsubstantiated) shots at both Lamar's game and approach.
Most recently, Ian Rapoport said that Declan Doyle has gotten Lamar engaged, which can be an uphill battle. Hinting that the two-time MVP is often disengaged is plainly ridiculous, and it's somehow still a talking point heading into year nine.
Thankfully, head coach Jesse Minter shut down this narrative when speaking to Kay Adams.Â
"I was here when he was drafted. He was a great player then, he was a great teammate; he was really engaging... He's been an unbelievable leader… It drives me insane some of the stuff that people say about this guy. There's nobody we'd rather have as the quarterback of the Baltimore Ravens," Minter said.Â
The narrative that Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is hard to engage doesn't add up
Well said, coach. Since entering the league, Lamar has produced at an elite level and won a ton of games. He has done so while being a leader who connects with and empowers his teammates, and his contagious level of energy has worn off on his teammates. Simply put, you don't have as much success as Jackson has had while being "disengaged."Â
Minter's perspective is interesting as he was with the Ravens during Lamar's first three seasons. He knows how great a leader he's always been and knows that these narratives have no real backing.Â
Frankly, I've never seen a player who's as successful as Lamar be constantly doubted this much both as a player and a leader. It really makes no sense.Â
Look, could the new coaching staff benefit Lamar on some level? Yeah, absolutely. Declan Doyle's offensive schemes can maximize him. Having a coordinator who is close to him in age could make for a stronger connection. Plus, Jackson and Minter appear to have a strong connection already.Â
There seemed to be some level of disconnect between the previous coaching staff and the entire Ravens team last season. Make no mistake, though: that doesn't reflect poorly on Lamar, nor does it mean he's hard to coach. It's not uncommon for a longtime coach's voice to wear out, and again, there was a disconnect between the coaching staff and the whole team.Â
Jackson made it work with Todd Monken and Greg Roman before that. He notably won an MVP with each coordinator and was the engine of elite offenses each season. This will be his first season with a new coach. In each of Lamar's healthy seasons, the Ravens have won double-digit games, and he's been one of the league's best QBs. His success speaks for itself, and again, it's impossible to get there by being "disengaged."Â
While these narratives are exhausting, Minter, Jackson, and the rest of the team can block out the noise and focus on winning a Super Bowl.Â
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