BALTIMORE – Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens still have not come to an agreement on a contract extension.
But while there is concern whether or not Jackson will be back to lead the offense, NFL Hall of Famer Ray Lewis says the Ravens just need to give him help.
Jackson hasn’t played with a top-notch wide receiver.
This year, former first-round pick Rashad Bateman got injured, leaving him with guys like James Proche, Devin Duvernay, Sammy Watkins and Demarcus Robinson.
He only played with one 1,000-yard wide receiver – Marquise “Hollywood” Brown.
“Lamar Jackson needs a No. 1 receiver. Lamar Jackson needs help,” Ravens’ legend Ray Lewis said on Inside the NFL. “They haven’t given Lamar Jackson an opportunity to really throw the ball downfield.”
Jackson’s most reliable target since he was drafted in 2018 has been tight end Mark Andrews.
Lewis said that even though Jackson is dynamic with his legs, the Ravens’ offense hasn’t given the former MVP the opportunity to be multi-dimensional.
“Lamar Jackson is a rock star, but the offense that he’s been playing in the past three or four years, with Greg Roman as offensive coordinator, that doesn’t fit him,” Jackson said. “It fits him because he has to be Superman. He has to make five people miss,” Lewis said. “When you have a player that dynamic, we have Mark Andrews and a couple of other guys, but we need pieces around Lamar Jackson.”
Jackson missed the final six games, including the Ravens’ playoff loss in Cincinnati, with a sprained PCL.
When he was in uniform, Jackson passed for 2,242 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 12 games.
However, he missed the end of the season in each of the past two seasons.
“I witnessed that injury,” Lewis said. That’s not just an injury you come back (quickly) from, not when you do what he does. His legs are one of his super powers. I don’t think it was good enough for him to come back.”
Jackson’s rookie contract has come to an end.
Now, the Ravens are figuring out what’s next.
CBS Baltimore Staff
