The Ravens enter the 2022 season firmly positioned once again as a prime playoff contender. But, in Steve Young’s opinion, the team could be so much more if it properly utilized Lamar Jackson.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer blasted the Ravens during a Thursday appearance on ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown, calling out their development of the star quarterback during his time with the club. Young also chastised Baltimore for what he considers to be a lack of investment in the passing game while the team continues to double down on being the “most sophisticated run game in football,” which he believes will only lead to regular season success and stunt Jackson’s growth long-term.
“They will never get to championship football without a sophisticated passing game, that’s not anything to do with Lamar Jackson,” Young said. “Lamar Jackson is a complete player that is not trained in being a sophisticated passer. They doubled down again back to all the great things that Lamar does. Great. But until he gets the chance to show that he is a sophisticated passer of the football in a sophisticated passing game that is properly invested in, which they never have done. They don’t invest in it, they don’t teach it.”
Young went on to question those who wonder why Jackson has not received a mega extension similar to Patrick Mahomes’ last deal with the start of the season less than a month away. The 25-year-old is set to earn roughly $23 million if he ends up playing out his fifth-year option, and would hit free agency after the season. Young proclaimed that Jackson will be “damned” until Baltimore alters its gameplan before saying he thinks the former MVP would be “the greatest player in the history of the game” if given the chance to show his full arsenal.
“I can’t wait for someone to train Lamar Jackson in a sophisticated passing game. I think he’d be the greatest player in the history of the game,” Young said. “But he keeps getting held back by the Ravens year after year because they keep doubling down to this thing Lamar Jackson is great at. No question, he’s the best at that. But it’s not the championship football they need to play and it’s not where Lamar Jackson wants to be.”
Since taking over as QB 1 in Week 11 of the ’18 season, Jackson has led the Ravens to three playoff appearances in four seasons, with each trip ending in the divisional round or earlier. An ankle injury prematurely ended Jackson’s ’21 campaign after Week 14 as Baltimore missed the postseason with an 8–9 record.
In that same time span, the Ravens have finished first in rushing twice and in the top three another time, while finishing 13th or lower in receiving yards in all five seasons.
It’s also worth noting that Baltimore has spent eight draft picks on receivers, four on tight ends and three on running backs while making minimal offensive additions in free agency in the last few offseasons. Among the players the team has selected include 2021 first-round wide receiver Rashod Bateman, 2020 first-round running back J.K. Dobbins, 2019 first-round wide receiver Marquise Brown (who was traded to the Cardinals during the 2022 NFL draft) and 2018 third-round tight end Mark Andrews.
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