Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is heavily anticipating the 2023 NFL season. In 2022 and 2021, Jackson only played 12 games. This season, Jackson is eager to prove that his durability should not be in question. Last season, the quarterback missed the final six games of the regular season with a grade-2 PCL strain. The Ravens were able to sneak into the playoffs but were quickly eliminated by the Cincinnati Bengals, a game in which Jackson did not play due to injury.
Jackson finished last season with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Unfortunately, those are relatively pedestrian numbers for a superstar quarterback. The season prior was much worse for Jackson, as he threw 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. As a former league MVP, Jackson is looking to relive his heyday. According to the quarterback himself, Jackson is more comfortable than ever in the Ravens new offense.
Lamar Jackson Is More Comfortable Than Ever In Ravens Offense
Quarterback Lamar Jackson is putting his stamp on the Ravens new offense. According to Jackson, he and new offensive coordinator Todd Monken are seeing eye to eye. When asked about his relationship with Monken, Jackson said “I love him as a coach, I’m grateful for him”. In a sideline interview during the Ravens Week 1 preseason game, Jackson revealed that he has been sending plays to Monken that he found on social media, and that Monken has been implementing them into the playbook. Jackson said “..it made me feel good” when asked about Monken considering his ideas.
Lamar Jackson also said that he expects “a lot of explosive plays” and “a lot more points on the board” for the Ravens in 2023. Although a bold statement, offensive additions such as Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor, and Zay Flowers make the statement believable. Beckham Jr. is a superstar wide receiver, the first of which Jackson’s ever played with. When asked about his chemistry with Beckham Jr., Jackson said “He makes my job a lot easier”. When the Ravens signed Beckham Jr., the goal was to make Jackson’s job easier, which is taking effect. Jackson said of Flowers, “Zay is a playmaker. Even though he’s a rookie, he plays like a vet…the sky’s the limit for him” Huge praise coming from one of the NFL’s best players.
Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson talking about being able to give his impute and add plays to OC Todd Monken. #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/jBqj1eM0kG
— Sherree Burruss (@SherreeBurruss) August 15, 2023
The Todd Monken Effect
On February 14, 2023, the Baltimore Ravens hired offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Monken’s previous coaching stint was with the University of Georgia where he won two consecutive National Championships in 2021 and 2022. In 2021, Georgia’s offense ranked top 10 in points per game with 38.6. In 2022, Georgia led the nation in total net yards with 7,517 and total points, posting 616. This season will not be Monken’s first rodeo as an NFL coach. Monken previously served as a wide receivers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2007-2010. Monken also coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2016-2018 and then the Cleveland Browns in 2019.
In Baltimore, Monken was immediately praised for his ability to connect with players and his openness to new ideas. When asked about his accepting nature, Monken said “You don’t want to take away creativity.”, a statement that excites the offense. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens are expected to make a huge splash this year, but Monken is not big on expectations. “It’ll only matter what we do on Sundays.”, said Monken at a post-practice press conference. Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr is more familiar with Monken than anyone on the team, having played for him in 2019. “He knows exactly what he wants to do and he sees what we have here.” said a hopeful Beckham Jr. at training camp. 2023 will be a big year for Baltimore, and Monken looks forward to the challenge.
Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken with Odell Beckham Jr. pic.twitter.com/bkFrwqGCAm
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) July 27, 2023
Main Photo: Tommy Gilligan – USA Today Sports
