Lamar Jackson prepares to enter his eighth NFL season. On and off the field, he’s committed to deepening his bonds with fellow Ravens and inspiring his Baltimore Ravens to even greater success. Jackson is coming off an MVP season, setting career-highs with 4,172 passing yards and 41 touchdowns. Now, he’s committed to improving communication on and off the field.
Jackson uses his football knowledge and leadership skills to engage the coaching staff further. He demonstrates an impressive attitude of being a perpetual student. Notably, he has been more vocal during practices and games, relaying calls with center Tyler Linderbaum before snaps and engaging with his wide receivers post-play. Jackson’s maturity and understanding of the game have become evident, as noted by Ravens’ coaches who see him taking his game to a higher level.
Add Jackson’s supporting cast from last season, which is largely unchanged. They still ended up leading the NFL with an impressive 424.9 total yards per game, despite losing left guard Patrick Mekari in free agency. After the offseason arrival of star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins as the No. 3 option, Jackson has an elite weapon to turn to. This continuity on the coaching staff gives Jackson the opportunity to work on deepening his relationships with his new teammates.
Covington, meanwhile, is devoted to boosting team chemistry. Now, he’s advocating for more meetings, outside of ones set up by the coaching staff. It’s no different with informal get-togethers that he hopes will build camaraderie between players and ultimately lead to better performance on the field. Ravens rookie wide receiver Zay Flowers expressed this sentiment, stating, “He wants to do a lot more personal stuff with us, just to get that team camaraderie on a good level.”
Jackson’s approach to preparation has evolved. He’s learned to watch more film with his guys during camp. Well, they’re closely studying the games the Ravens lost last season. This kind of analysis does wonders to not only help him point out where guys could be doing better, but creates a shared learning environment between players.
“The biggest area I’ve seen is the verbal and nonverbal communication that he has really grown and taken his game to the next level.” – Martin
As he enters Year 8 in the league, Jackson knows stepping up for his younger teammates while pushing himself to improve is key. “I’m going into Year 8, so I’ve got no other choice. There are a lot of young guys coming in now, so I’ve got to,” he stated. His commitment to principled leadership is an example to all. He stays accessible to veterans such as running back Derrick Henry and Hopkins, who routinely seek out his wisdom and advice.
Specifically, Jackson’s confidence in Todd Monken’s offensive system has helped boost the QB’s overall assertiveness this preseason. Though as he heads into his third season under this structure, he admits to becoming more comfortable in running plays and making quick decisions. His commitment to make connections through patience, listening, and his strong communication skills has been key in establishing trust with his fellow actors.
“You see maturity there in terms of what he sees on the field and things that he wants to do offensively.” – Martin
In addition, Jackson has made it a point to make the game easy for his teammates. His commitment to delivering effective communication is making confusion a thing of the past along the riskiest moments on the field. “Just trying to make the game a lot easier for us,” he remarked while discussing his objectives for the upcoming season.
Though people might point out his physical transformation ahead of the upcoming season, Jackson jokingly shot down any false narratives regarding his shape. If you don’t use skinny, I’m in trouble,” he recounted. “I’m fit because skinny is like puny. I don’t think I’m puny. I’m still 200 [pounds].
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