Lamar Jackson keeps running into the same old argument, even after the résumé has long since outgrown it.
The Ravens quarterback has two MVP awards and three first-team All-Pro selections, but the conversation around him still circles back to the idea that he needs to prove he can win from the pocket. That refrain has followed him since his college days, and it resurfaced again on a recent episode of "Get Up," where NFL analyst Bart Scott defended Jackson’s No. 69 ranking in the NFL’s Top 100 list.
Scott said, “Rent is due every day, and the rent wasn’t paid by Lamar Jackson last year. And what you have to ask yourself is can Lamar Jackson adjust to being a pocket passer because we didn't see the explosive runs that he had last year."
That criticism doesn’t really match what Jackson has become.
Baltimore is no longer living in Greg Roman’s power option offense, and Jackson’s usage reflects that shift. He had more than 100 designed rushing attempts in each of his first three NFL seasons, but that number dropped to 24 in 2025. The Ravens quarterback has quietly evolved into a more traditional passer, even if that hasn’t changed the public perception around him.
He still forces defenses to account for him as a runner. Jackson went over 1,000 rushing yards as recently as 2024. But the idea that he can’t operate from the pocket doesn’t hold up to the numbers.
In 2024, Jackson led the NFL in EPA per play on pure dropback attempts. He also finished that season as the only quarterback in the league with a positive EPA per play when pressured. That’s not the profile of a player who can’t handle the pocket.
Jackson has shown he can work all levels of the field with his arm, and he’s become an efficient passer, especially against the blitz. The pocket-passer label has become less of a critique and more of a stale talking point.
2025 was a rough year for Jackson and for the Ravens offense as a whole. The unit took a clear step backward, and Jackson was part of that downturn.
Still, his passing numbers were better than some analysts seem willing to acknowledge. His 63.6% completion rate topped more traditional quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes and Trevor Lawrence.
The more likely explanation for Jackson’s dip last season is the injury trouble that followed him throughout the year, not some permanent decline in his game. When he’s healthy, he remains dangerous as both a passer and a runner, and there’s every reason for Ravens fans to expect a bounce-back in 2026.
In Other News...
Ravens Cannot Afford This Defensive Line Mistake Right Now
Baltimores defensive line has already been reshaped this offseason with additions like Trey Hendrickson, Zion Young and Calais Campbell, but the group still leans on familiar pieces to keep the front steady. John Jenkins fits that role as a veteran nose tackle, the kind of depth signing teams usually appreciate once the games start piling up and the run defense needs a stabilizing presence.
So the idea of moving Jenkins now feels like the wrong kind of savings for a roster that still has uncertainty up front, especially with Nnamdi Madubuike working his way back from a neck injury. Jenkins just signed a one-year extension worth nearly $2 million before the 2025 season ended, and with his reliability and the way he helped hold things together last year, Baltimore would be taking on more risk than reward by thinning out that part of the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Rookies Already Have A Camp Pecking Order
Training camp has a way of sorting rookies fast, and the Ravens draft class already looks like it will be judged by more than just pedigree. League sources and coaching staff comments point to a group with very different timelines, from players who can push for snaps right away to others who are clearly being brought along with the long view in mind. Positional fit matters here, and so does how quickly each rookie can handle the jump in speed and detail once the pads come on.
The most interesting part for Baltimore is how many paths there are to playing time, even if injuries and other camp twists will eventually reshape the picture. There is a hybrid piece who could be moved around the formation and into special teams work, a second-round edge rusher who needs patience, and a tight end whose straight-line speed gives him a chance to matter down the road. Even the specialists are in the mix, with the new punter positioned to take hold of the job unless summer goes badly, which is exactly the kind of quiet competition that can end up mattering by September. [Read more 🡒]
Three Ravens Veterans Suddenly Have Real Heat On Their Jobs
Baltimore spent the offseason trying to harden two spots that could shape its 2026 outlook, adding draft capital and free-agent help to a receiving room and pass rush that needed more competition. That has put some familiar names under real pressure, including Devin Duvernay on the perimeter and Tavius Robinson on the edge, where the Ravens are no longer treating veteran status as a guarantee of a job.
The bigger storyline sits inside, where Nnamdi Madubuike is trying to work his way back while the team has already lined up a veteran fallback in Calais Campbell. For a defense built around disrupting the pocket, Baltimore clearly wants more certainty up front than it had a year ago, and the next stretch will tell the Ravens whether their incumbent lineman can hold off the challenge or whether the depth chart is about to change in a meaningful way. [Read more 🡒]