The Baltimore Ravens live and breathe through Lamar Jackson. Since entering the league, Jackson has carried the franchise on his back in countless moments, and across his eight-year career, he has been the lifeblood of the offense.
Whenever Jackson is on the field, Baltimore’s offense is as dangerous as any. That goes not just for the NFL currently, but for the league's history. He’s a game-changer who is nearly impossible to stop, as he consistently puts up numbers people have never seen before, which in turn carries the offense to new heights.
It sounds like Jackson’s influence carries over to the defense, too. It’s easy to want to get the ball back in his hands, and it didn’t take long for him to impact newcomer Trey Hendrickson. At training camp, the veteran spoke about what it means to rush the passer when Jackson is on the sidelines.
“When you’re motivated to get No. 8 the ball back, it makes it a little easier,” Trey Hendrickson said of his new QB. pic.twitter.com/073pccTTwr
— Giana Han (@giana_jade) July 31, 2026
Baltimore Ravens feel the impact of Lamar Jackson in every way imaginable
Jackson has grown into one of the best leaders in the NFL. Elite leadership traits are always expected of quarterbacks, but the firepower he brings on the field, on the sidelines, and off the field is second to none. Clearly, that stuff is contagious.
As the Ravens defense looks to bounce back from an abysmal season, Eric DeCosta did everything in his power to improve that group. He truly turned over every stone this offseason—it’s hard to ignore the new look of the unit and believe it won’t finish inside the top 10. And if you pair that drastic improvement with a quarterback who gives his squad an extra edge, the tone shift could quickly become crystal clear.
Jackson firing up Hendrickson is exactly what Baltimore needs, as well. They couldn’t buy a sack last year, finishing with an incredibly underwhelming 30 sacks, which was tied for third-worst in the NFL. Thankfully, a vastly improved defensive line, led by Hendrickson, should change that.
The 31-year-old already seems primed to lead the team in sacks this year. He’s totaled 74.5 sacks over the past six seasons, and hasn’t slowed down at all. Still, finding an extra bit of motivation can be beneficial for everyone, especially when you're deep into your career—it sounds like Hendrickson has found that key motivator in his new quarterback, Lamar Jackson.
That motivation doesn’t just go for Hendrickson either. Jackson has grown a tremendous amount as a leader throughout the last several years, and it’s frequently noted that he makes everyone else strive to be better versions of themselves. If that continues to take effect, the Ravens should have no issue putting themselves right back in the middle of their competitive window in 2026.
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