Ravens gave Lamar Jackson way more than money in latest contract

The Baltimore Ravens are giving Lamar Jackson a historical statement — and much violative freedom. 

Not that agelong ago, nan commonly held belief among NFL fans was that Lamar Jackson would beryllium leaving nan Baltimore Ravens for greener pastures — some successful a figurative monetary consciousness and successful a much abstract, self-happiness sense. Well, it was not to be.

As it turned out, nan Ravens and Jackson were simply playing difficult to get. The 2 sides did yet travel together connected a historical statement that gives Jackson an yearly mean worth of $52 million. That’s superstar money for a superstar player.

Now nan Ravens are building a caller discourtesy astir Jackson nether first-year violative coordinator Todd Monken. So far, nan erstwhile MVP likes what he’s seeing.

Ravens’ caller discourtesy will characteristic much throwing, little moving for Lamar Jackson

“Less moving and much throwing,” is really Jackson described nan caller discourtesy to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. Baltimore is evidently going distant from Jackson’s legs to attraction connected nan caller receiving corps, featuring newcomers Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers.

Jackson decidedly favors nan change:

“Running tin only return you truthful far. And I consciousness for illustration pinch this caller era of teams and offenses successful nan league, I consciousness for illustration we request that. Coach Todd Monken, what I’m seeing successful his discourtesy truthful far, is looking tremendous.”

The Ravens are besides giving Jackson much state to audible and accommodate astatine nan statement of scrimmage. Jackson said Monken has fixed him and his teammates nan “free will” to make changes based connected what they spot retired connected nan field.

It’s clear nan Ravens are investing afloat successful Jackson’s shot mind and ludicrous talent. That’s nan move erstwhile you walk $260 cardinal to clasp a player’s services — you spell each in. Jackson already has 1 MVP nether his loop and 2 Pro Bowl appearances. Last play was Jackson’s weakest since becoming nan full-time starter successful 2019, but he still accounted for 20 full touchdowns and threw for good complete 2,000 yards and ran for almost 800 more. Jackson has accomplished rather a batch individually. The adjacent measurement is starring Baltimore to nan Super Bowl.

The nationalist sentiment connected Jackson has cooled importantly since his MVP play successful 2019, but it’s clear Baltimore still has a batch of religion successful him. Jackson has an absolute cannon, tin of launching nan shot 60 years down section pinch effortless precision. He besides remains rather perchance nan astir electrical runner successful football. The Ravens are favoring nan walk much nether Todd Monken, but we should still expect a adjacent magnitude of Jackson improvisations and scrambles adjacent season. It’s what makes him special.