Baltimore Ravens: 3 big questions at the quarterback position

By Ashley Anderson

Lamar Jackson is cemented in as the Baltimore Ravens franchise quarterback for years to come. However, there are still some question marks regarding the QB room heading into 2021. Let us take a cool dive in and see the biggest questions facing Baltimore’s quarterbacks this year with the summer heat beating down.

3.) With new weapons around him, will Lamar Jackson take his game to the next level?

There are two schools of thought regarding Lamar Jackson. No matter how successful he is, some experts will always say he is not a top-flight passer. Others point to his 30-7 regular-season record and once-in-a-lifetime athleticism to say he does not need to be a Tom Brady-like passer to succeed. The one area where the Ravens have fallen short under Jackson’s leadership is in the postseason.

In all fairness, Jackson is hardly the only Ravens player to struggle in the playoffs. During his first postseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers, it was arguably a lack of preparation by the coaching staff that thwarted the offense. In year two, when the Titans came to Baltimore, several awful drops made Jackson’s stat line look worse than it really was.

Jackson made it over the hump in year three, beating the Titans in a postseason rematch. However, the Ravens hit a brick wall the following week. Numerous drops put them in a hole, and terrible offensive line play led to Jackson being concussed.

This offseason, GM Eric DeCosta dedicated himself to adding a plethora of talent around his franchise QB. Baltimore’s offense should look much different from revamping the offensive line to adding numerous new receiving options, this year. The only question is whether this talent infusion will help Jackson elevate his game as well.

 

2.) When will Lamar Jackson ink an extension with the Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore’s decision-makers have made it clear that Lamar Jackson is going to be in a Ravens uniform for years to come. In fact, they have gone on record saying it is more of a “when not if” scenario regarding Jackson’s extension. Numerous other QBs in similar situations have put pen to paper in recent years, and he should not be far behind.

Some say it would be better to wait till 2022 when the salary cap rises again to address Jackson’s extension. After all, he has a fifth-year option on his contract and can play out this season on his rookie deal. Others argue that with major deals looming on the horizon for players like Mark Andrews, it would be best to address the elephant in the room first.

Jackson is in the fairly unique position of not having an agent. Working closely with his mom, the two can watch as others sign lucrative deals and use those as leverage. Still, in a league where things can change on a dime, Jackson may wish to get the contract done while his value is high.

Patrick Mahomes broke the bank with his 10-year, $503 million deal, but experts feel Jackson will not command that much money. Speculation is that he will be more in the range of Dak Prescott (4-years, $160 million), or Deshaun Watson (4-year, $156 million). Recent chatter makes it sound like a deal could get done before training camp, but that remains to be seen.

 

1.) Who will be the Baltimore Ravens’ backup quarterback?

As Jackson was growing into the starting quarterback role, the Ravens relied on veteran Robert Griffin III to provide mentorship and sturdy play should he be called upon. Now that Jackson is fully entrenched in the role, Baltimore has turned to younger, cheaper options in Trace McSorley and Tyler Huntley.

Ravens fans certainly hope this issue does not rear its head often throughout the season. A backup quarterback is only a welcome sight in the fourth quarter when your team is leading by a mile. At this point, the battle seems wide open for that role.

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McSorley is entering his third year and has more in-game experience. He also got the benefit of a full offseason in his rookie year, which Huntley did not. However, Huntley was thrown into the fire in the playoffs and performed admirably. With big shoes to fill, if Jackson goes down, the Ravens will have to carefully scrutinize both McSorley and Huntley. Will one emerge as the front runner, or will Baltimore have to flip a coin?