Kyle Brandt Predicts 'Massive Season' for 'Energized' Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson has been compared to Superman, but "Good Morning Football's" Kyle Brandt sees the star quarterback as the real-life version of another fictional hero.
Brandt likened Jackson to John McClane, the protagonist from the "Die Hard" action film franchise.
"The premise of 'Die Hard' is there is one hero who is presented with impossible odds," Brandt said. "The slogan says: 'Twelve terrorists. One cop. The odds are against John McClane. That's just the way he likes it.' That might as well be Lamar, because he's up against everything if you read right now. Isaiah Likely is gone – they took his big tight end. His center is gone. You take a center from a quarterback, that hurts. His head coach is gone. Last year, kind of a mess. Injured. Not great.
"And then you want to get into, 'Next year's cap number for Lamar is very scary, this could be it as a Raven.' BS. Don't believe any of it. Don't care about cap numbers. Don't care about tight ends leaving. Don't care about any of that. This is a two-time damn MVP. The odds are against Lamar Jackson. That's just the way he likes it. I believe in Lamar this year."
Brandt thinks Jackson will be rejuvenated by the opportunity to work with new Head Coach Jesse Minter and new Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle.
"I think it's going to be new Lamar, energized Lamar," Brandt said. "I think this is going to be a massive season, even a potential third MVP season. That's how much I believe in Lamar Jackson."
Yippee-ki-yay!
Chiefs Defensive End Says Jackson Has Been 'Figured Out'
Unfortunately, when it comes to Jackson, some disproved narratives die hard.
Remember the talk several years ago that the league had "figured out" Jackson? Inexplicably, there are those who still hold that opinion even after Jackson had one of the best seasons ever for a quarterback in 2023 and nearly – and should have – won his third MVP award in 2024.
When Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Charles Omenihu was praising Josh Allen during an appearance on "Speakeasy," he compared the Buffalo Bills quarterback with Jackson, contending that the league has solved Jackson but hasn't done so with Allen.
"I think you've figured out Lamar. You come after him, you close all the lanes, you five-man rush him, and you cover his guys," Omenihu said. "And I think you get it done."
Actually, you don't. Jackson had a league-best 91.9 passing grade against the blitz in 2025, per Pro Football Focus, with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions.
Jeff Zrebiec Looks at How Ravens Could Approach Interior Offensive Line Needs in Draft
The interior offensive line is a priority for the Ravens in the draft. The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec looked at the potential sweet spots for finding a starting-caliber center and guard using The Athletic's Dane Brugler's in-depth draft guide, "The Beast," as a resource:
Guard
"Given their struggles at the position last season, it seems prudent to take a shot relatively early in the draft at finding a starting guard," Zrebiec wrote. "If Penn State's Vega Ioane is available at 14 and none of the projected top-10 guys fall, it could be a no-brainer for the Ravens. Ioane is a plug-and-play mauler with a high floor and a Pro Bowl ceiling.
"If the Ravens go in another direction, their second-round pick could represent a significant opportunity to upgrade the position. Texas A&M's Chase Bisontis, Oregon's Emmanuel Pregnon and Georgia Tech's Keylan Rutledge are all guys who could come off the board anywhere from the late first round to early in the third round. There will be other options on Day 2 as well."
Center
"It seems likely that Baltimore has plans to draft its next starting center in a couple of weeks," Zrebiec wrote. "It won't happen early. There are no natural centers projected to go in the first round, and Brugler doesn't have any center with a second-round grade, either.
"He has six centers who potentially could come off the board between the third and fourth rounds, a group that includes Florida's Jake Slaughter, Iowa's Logan Jones, Kansas State's Sam Hecht, Auburn's Connor Lew, Duke's Brian Parker II and Texas A&M's Trey Zuhn III. The Ravens will probably need to get their guy somewhere between picks 80 and 154."
Zrebiec also looked at how the Ravens could prioritize their draft needs at wide receiver, tight end, edge rusher, interior defensive line, cornerback, and punter.
Ravens Named Best Fit for Veteran Offensive Tackle
Sports Illustrated’s Gilberto Manzano looked at the top eight remaining free agents and the ideal landing spot for each.
Manzano named the Ravens as the best fit for longtime Detroit Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker.
"The Lions made him a cap casualty and will likely fill their left tackle opening in the draft," Manzano wrote. "It wouldn't be a surprise if Decker is forced to retire, considering that there's good depth in this year's draft class for tackles.
"It would be wise for Decker to join a contender and be more of an insurance player in case of injury. He has dealt with injuries in his career, but Decker has played in at least 14 games the past three seasons."
Decker, who turns 33 in August, made his only Pro Bowl in 2024.
The Ravens' starting tackles are set with Ronnie Stanley on the left side and Roger Rosengarten on the right. As Manzano eluded, the Ravens could use more depth at offensive tackle.
