Lamar Jackson’s Ravens teammates just might start calling him coach this season.
Of course, offensive coordinator Todd Monken will be the one running the Ravens’ offensive scheme, but part of the new Baltimore coach’s philosophy is giving more freedom and input to his QBs.
So when Jackson, 26, came across a few plays online he liked he sent them to the coaching staff.
“I was just on social media, and I saw a couple of routes, and I sent it to [quarterbacks] Coach Tee [Martin] and he was like, ‘I’m going to relay the message to Coach [Todd] Monken,’” Jackson said, according to ESPN. “Coach Monken liked the play, so he put it in practice. We didn’t show it today, but I feel like it will be good for us.”
Head coach John Harbaugh was impressed with the way Jackson’s mind works and his constant focus on the game.
It bodes well for Monken, who is hoping to help revamp an offense that averaged 20.6 points per game in 2022.
“He’s a guy [who] thinks about football a lot — it’s on his mind — and I think he always had his ideas,” Harbaugh said of Jackson on Tuesday. “He had a couple good ones; I can tell you that.”
There is a lot of excitement inside the Ravens’ locker room for the upcoming season and what the team can do in the AFC North.
Baltimore boosted the receiver group that Jackson had to throw to, adding Odell Beckham Jr., Zay Flowers and Nelson Agholor.
Additionally, the Ravens managed to lock up Jackson on a five-year, $260 million contract.
All of it has brought a renewed sense of energy going into the season, and Jackson’s teammates are noticing the stamp he’s been putting on the offense.
“[Lamar Jackson]’s got a good eye,” tight end Mark Andrews said. “If anybody ever asks him, or you just pick his mind about plays and where he sees the game and that sort of thing … And now that he’s getting that input, it’s been great. Yes, he sees the game really well.”
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