The Ravens spent the offseason making one thing unmistakably clear: Lamar Jackson was going to be put in position to thrive.
Baltimore made Jackson a priority in its head coaching search, overhauled the guard situation in front of him and pushed to get an extension done, even though the sides only agreed to a rework. After an injury-riddled year for Jackson and a total team failure in 2026, the front office treated this as a must-fix situation.
The team also checked off plenty of other boxes. It brought in Jesse Minter, added a pair of physical wideouts in the 2026 NFL Draft and hired Declan Doyle, a young offensive coordinator with a reputation that already has people looking at the ceiling for this offense.
That last move is the one that could matter most for Jackson’s individual season. A third MVP is suddenly a real conversation.
Clifton Brown of BaltimoreRavens.com pointed to Jackson in a recent piece highlighting 10 players who could explode in 2026, and he zeroed in on a pattern that has followed the quarterback before.
"“[Jackson’s] healthy, happy, and loves Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle's scheme. Jackson won an MVP in Greg Roman's first season as coordinator, then captured another MVP in Todd Monken's first season.
It's clear that a new offense ignites Jackson. I think new OC could equal another MVP.”"
Clifton Brown
That logic is hard to dismiss. Jackson has seemed to level up whenever he starts fresh in a new system, first as the unstoppable force he became under Greg Roman and then as the league’s best dual-threat quarterback under Todd Monken. Now Doyle gets the next crack at unlocking him.
The fit makes sense on paper. Doyle is expected to lean into a play-action-heavy approach, and that lines up perfectly with what Jackson does best. The two-time MVP has been at his most dangerous when play action is part of the menu, so the pairing feels built to create another big statistical year and keep him in the MVP mix all season.
Of course, the bigger picture in Baltimore goes well beyond individual awards. A third MVP would be nice, and Jackson arguably should have had one in 2024, but that’s not what this team is chasing.
The real mission is getting back to the playoffs and finally taking the last step to a Super Bowl title. For Jackson and the Ravens, the trophy they want most is the one that ends the playoff drought talk.
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