The Ravens can't win the Super Bowl in July, but they can work on what it will take to get there.
That's the approach Lamar Jackson is bringing to training camp in his eighth season. Experience has taught him to focus on the details, not the ultimate destination.
The biggest question this offseason is whether the Ravens and Jackson, who have been so close in recent years, will get over the hump and into the Super Bowl. Is this the year?
"To be honest, I'm really not trying to think that far [ahead], because every time we had those discussions, man, we get to the playoffs, but we don't punch in," Jackson said. "We don't finish, so I'm pretty much just trying to finish camp the correct way and then get ready for the [Buffalo] Bills. I'm not really trying to think about the Super Bowl yet."
Jackson is a two-time MVP coming off his most complete season. Yet, he's still only 28 years old, very much in his prime.
That's a potent combination, and the Ravens are trying to maximize it. Entering his third year with Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken, Jackson is working to own the offense even more than in previous seasons.
Training camp gives Jackson an opportunity to work on his craft. When the Ravens' defense throws multiple looks at him during practice, Jackson wants to read them like he has a cheat code. He wants to spread the ball and build chemistry with all of Baltimore's weapons, most notably veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who the Ravens signed in the offseason.
Jackson is seeking a strong training camp, followed by another brilliant regular season, which leads to a spectacular postseason. It's a great vision, but right now Jackson is looking at a blank canvas for next season, and the picture he wants to create must be painted step by step.
People ask if Jackson can top what he did in 2024. It will only happen if he takes a workmanlike approach to 2025, and training camp is part of that process.
"There's so much that goes into playing that position, and Lamar is young," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "He's in his eighth year, yet he's only 28 years old. I think that's pretty rare.
"His window to improve is pretty big. But first of all, he works really hard. Secondly, he really wants to get better, and he's already great. He's not one of these guys that says, 'I'm there, I've arrived.' He never looks at it that way. He always looks at what he can do to get better. If there's something that happens on the field, even when it's not his fault, it's his fault in his mind. …I know he has done a good job of communicating that with the team as well with that kind of mindset. He's grown in every way."
Jackson has thought long and hard about the process of winning a Super Bowl, and previous playoff disappointments have not diminished his determination. He can't stop people from debating where he ranks among the game's top quarterbacks, or whether he will win a Lombardi Trophy. Knowing his fate is not controlled by pundits who praise or criticize him, Jackson tries to ignore the outside noise.
"To be honest with you, I really don't worry about the media," Jackson said. "It is pretty much the fan base and my teammates. I'm working with these guys, these guys are working with me, and it's like we're getting there, but we're not finishing. How can we get better? How can we make the Baltimore city even more happy? We're having regular season success, we're making it to the playoffs, but we have to get to that dance, like I said, and it starts here."
During Wednesday's first training camp practice, Jackson threw an incomplete pass to Hopkins on a play when the quarterback and receiver didn't appear to be on the same wavelength. Afterward, Jackson and Hopkins talked on the sideline and looked at a tablet together. It's the kind of work that Jackson embraces during training camp, solving problems in July and August that will pay dividends in December and January.
"D-Hop is a pro, All-Pro, future Hall of Famer, and one of the greatest in the league ever, so him just being a new addition is going to make my job a lot easier," Jackson said. "Just me being older and being in [the] league eight years now, I know everything like the back of my hand. He's just getting with me. It's going to be bread and butter when the time comes, but for right now, we're just grinding. It's a great process. It's a learning process for both of us."
Baltimore opens the regular season with a road rematch against the Bills, but the result of that game won't change what happened in last season's playoffs. The Ravens remember, but they have moved on.
A new season is approaching, and Jackson wants to end it by winning the Super Bowl. However, training camp is part of the process, and he has learned not to rush.
"Whatever it takes to get my team to that ticket – to that big dance – but we have to take care of now," Jackson said. "Take care of camp, get better in camp each and every day. That's all I'm focused on."
