Despite all the blockbuster changes the Baltimore Ravens have seen this offseason, with the hiring of Jesse Minter and the signing of Trey Hendrickson, much of the media attention has been centered around Lamar Jackson.
In the past, Jackson’s attendance for voluntary workouts has been spotty. They’re voluntary, but it’s still something that he has been criticized for, whether you deem it necessary or not. On Monday, the Ravens began Phase 1 of their offseason program, and Lamar Jackson made a statement without even saying a word.
On X, Baltimore released a short hype video that showed Jackson making his arrival to the team’s voluntary offseason workout program.
🎱@Lj_era8 pic.twitter.com/ZQ36d8Oopv
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) April 6, 2026
There was some uncertainty around Jackson's attendance at these offseason workouts, but he made his stance clear. He’s ready to go.
Baltimore Ravens receive definitive answer to Lamar Jackson’s readiness for 2026
Much of the reason Jackson missed significant portions of the voluntary workouts between 2024 and 2025 was familiarity with the system. He played under John Harbaugh for eight years. There’s not much left you need to prove, and while showing up is important for a veteran, he’s far from the only veteran to be absent when these workouts come up on the calendar. As Jesse Minter takes over, though, Jackson is taking the necessary steps to put the team in the best position this offseason.
With the Ravens going through a leadership change, Jackson’s attendance at these workouts is a big deal. He’s set to quickly grow his relationship with the team’s new head coach in Minter and offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, well ahead of 2026. If he weren't to show up, it wouldn’t have been the end of the world, but it’s now obvious that Jackson is excited to develop under this coaching staff and get back on track.
Phase One of the Ravens’ workout program will consist of two weeks of meetings, strength and conditioning, and physical rehabilitation. That’s an important stage for Jackson.
Along with getting to know his new coaches, the two-time MVP is coming off a 2025 campaign where he was bitten by a relentless injury bug. It felt like every week, he was on the injury report. The team can’t afford for that to happen again and needs Jackson to be as healthy and as prepared as possible to make a run this upcoming season.
He didn’t even have to say a word, but Jackson definitely silenced some critics with this encouraging offseason decision. It’s a massive step forward in a new era in Charm City.