John Harbaugh Says Lamar Jackson Is 'As Good As Any Passer There's Ever Been'
Lamar Jackson has established himself as the greatest running quarterback of all time, but he has shown that he can dazzle with his arm as much as his legs.
Head Coach John Harbaugh believes Jackson has become as great a passer as there has ever been.
"He is a historically good passer," Harbaugh said on ESPN's Kevin Clark's "This is Football" podcast. "And that's really quite a statement because of the narrative that's been surrounding him ever since the beginning. Lamar Jackson can throw the football. He can throw it every kind of way, he can make every kind of throw any kind of way you want. He's as good as any passer that there's ever been – and I think now the numbers are proving that.
"So that's the thing I'm kind of a little bit proud of, but also a little bit like, 'OK, here we go, what have we learned from that?' You can take even a big picture and say from a society standpoint, football standpoint, what do we learn from that, what kinds of questions do we ask ourselves? But Lamar Jackson as a passer is historically great."
As Harbaugh said, the numbers don't lie. Neither do the eyes.
"I completely agree," Clark said of Harbaugh's assessment. "Look at the numbers. Look at the tape."
Last season, Jackson became the first quarterback in history to throw 40-plus touchdowns (41) and fewer than five interceptions (five). His 119.6 passer rating was the fourth-highest ever, and he is one of only four quarterbacks to have a passer rating of 113.3 or better in multiple seasons, joining Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees. Jackson is tied with Ben Roethlisberger for the most games (four) with a perfect 158.3 passer rating.
The scary thing for opposing defenses is that the 28-year-old Jackson, as he said last week, "is really just getting started."
Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken echoed that sentiment Thursday.
"I think there's a lot left there for him, in terms of growth," Monken said. "I think he sees the field better now than he did even two years ago. I can't speak before then. I can just speak to how he sees the field based on what we're doing offensively and the players that we have and the system. I really do, I think he's just getting started with his ability.
"He's always had the ability as a playmaker [and] to run with the ball, but his ability, yes, he's improved greatly in – which is a huge credit to him – his ability to throw the football to win at all times of the game, really, and in all phases of the game."
Ravens' Coaching Staff Ranked at No. 4
It was noted in Late for Work last week that the Ravens have the best roster in the league according to ESPN analysts. They also have an elite coaching staff.
ESPN’s Ben Solak ranked all 32 coaching staffs (head coach, offensive and defensive coordinators), and the Ravens' trio of Harbaugh, Monken, and Zach Orr landed at No. 4.
"The best offensive playcallers are all head coaches, but if we narrow our scope to coordinators, the best one around is Monken," Solak wrote. "Last season, Lamar Jackson led the league in open targets (61% of his attempts) and wide-open targets (36%, the most for any season in the NFL Next Gen Stats charting database, which goes back to 2017). Jackson certainly helps those receivers get open by breaking the pocket and threatening to run. But recall how congested those Ravens' passing designs were before Monken got to town. He has elevated the entire offense around the two-time MVP."
Solak praised Orr for turning the defense into one of the best in the league during the second half of last season.
"One of the best 2024 coaching moves was the midseason reshuffling of the Baltimore secondary, which is a feather in Orr's cap, even if it was a decision made collectively," Solak wrote. "From Weeks 1 through 10, the Ravens started Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson at safety, using star defensive back Kyle Hamilton as more of a roving nickel/linebacker. They were the fourth-worst defense by EPA per dropback and sixth worst in points per drive. Then, after Williams and Jackson were benched and Hamilton was relocated to a true safety role, Baltimore became the league's best defense in both metrics.
"Under Harbaugh, the Ravens have always been good at adjusting to midseason injuries and correcting poor play. They also remain one of the league's best in managing fourth-down decisions and late-game clocks."
The Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, and San Francisco 49ers were the three teams ranked ahead of the Ravens.
Looking at Training Camp Risers
As the second week of training camp comes to a close, The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer assessed who's trending up and down. Here's a look at a few:
Riser: WR Devontez Walker
"A year ago, the fourth-round pick was struggling to separate against back-of-the-roster cornerbacks. Now he's winning against Nate Wiggins and Jaire Alexander. Walker has dabbled in almost every kind of catch this camp: along the sideline, over the middle, contested, downfield, quick hitting. DeAndre Hopkins and Rashod Bateman are the Ravens' most polished, most experienced 'X' receivers, but Walker's deep speed out wide could be a weapon in certain personnel groupings."
Riser: RB Keaton Mitchell
"The acceleration he showed as a rookie has returned. He dusted speedy rookie inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan (4.6-second 40-yard dash) on a vertical route last week, then bounced a red-zone run outside the tackles for a would-be touchdown Monday that had the Ravens' first-string back end looking slow."
Faller: QB Devin Leary
"The 2024 sixth-round pick has had to settle for scraps in camp — a few reps in each team period, at most, then back to the sideline. Typical QB3 practice time in Baltimore. Leary should get a lot more snaps in the preseason, and he should look a lot more prepared than he did as a rookie. But how much chemistry will he have with the Ravens' reserves? The results in camp have been up and down."
Ravens' Core of Under-25 Talent Cracks Top 10 Rankings
General Manager Eric DeCosta has built a team that is a Super Bowl favorite this season and is also equipped to be a contender for years to come.
Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano ranked the teams with the best under-25 talent, and the Ravens were No. 10.
Manzano named safety Malaki Starks (21), Wiggins (21), edge Mike Green (22), offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten (23), wide receiver Zay Flowers (24), Hamilton (24), and linebacker Trenton Simpson (24) as the Ravens' top young playmakers.
"The Ravens have a bona fide star in Hamilton, a highly productive receiver in Flowers and plenty of promising players from the past two drafts," Manzano wrote. "Baltimore could be ranked higher on next year's list if Starks and Wiggins help the secondary become one of the best in the league. Simpson and Rosengarten have emerged as quality starters, and Green was rated as one of the best edge rushers in this year's draft."
Pundit Contradicts His Take on Ravens' Secondary
As noted in Wednesday's Late for Work, Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine identified the secondary as the Ravens' biggest weakness. It was surprising considering the unit's talent and depth.
One day after Ballentine's article was published, he wrote a piece in which he named one key reason for each team having a shot at winning the Super Bowl. For the Ravens, it was … wait for it … the secondary!
"With Jaire Alexander joining a secondary that now has five first-round picks within it, the Ravens are far better equipped to handle the elite passers they'll face this year," Ballentine wrote.
In the immortal words of great philosopher Jeff Spicoli, make up your mind, dude.
