Lamar Jackson will steer a new-look Baltimore Ravens offense in 2023.
The star quarterback joins forces with offensive coordinator Todd Monken in a unit that refurbished its receiving room by adding Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor, and first-round pick Zay Flowers. Jackson, who reported to voluntary OTAs on Wednesday, is excited about what he’s seen so far.
Per Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Banner, Jackson said he’s “loving” Baltimore’s “smooth” offense.
Lamar Jackson said the new offense is “smooth.” He said he’s “loving it.” pic.twitter.com/c4xB8icIGu
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) May 24, 2023
The Ravens finished each of Jackson’s first three seasons with the NFL’s most rushing attempts, and last year’s No. 7 rank marked their lowest finish since he joined the league in 2018. Jackson is eager to operate a pro-style offense that throws more.
“Running can take you only so far in the league,” Jackson said.
Courtesy of Blue Wire’s Sarah Ellison, Jackson also credited Monken for giving him more control over Baltimore’s offense.
“You can change things when you want to,” Jackson said. “You see the defense, and it’s not looking right to you. You see some guy blitzing, you might want your WR to do something different. Coach is giving you the free will to do whatever you want to.”
When signing his five-year extension, Jackson told reporters he’d like to throw for 6,000 yards this season. While the 26-year-old is unlikely to reach that record-setting benchmark, he could shatter his personal-best 3,127 passing yards with improved receivers and a scheme that gives him more autonomy in the pocket.