Lamar Jackson recently announced that he requested a trade from the Baltimore Ravens in early March. It is now early April, and Jackson’s situation is still uncertain as we move further into the NFL offseason.
Through his first five seasons, Jackson has won an MVP, has earned two Pro Bowl selections, and one All-Pro selection.
In today’s league where the dual-threat quarterback (ability to pass and run) is the new prototype, it would be reasonable to think that Jackson would be thoroughly sought after by many teams.
But interestingly enough, teams aren’t clamoring for Jackson in the way that many expected. When asked about the prospect of pursuing the dual-threat QB, some owners question Jackson’s ability to perform outside of Greg Roman’s offensive scheme.
“Looking at it objectively, there is some concern about whether or not he can play his style of game for … how long can that last,” Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said.
So what is it about Greg Roman’s offensive scheme that allowed Jackson to be so successful, and why are teams concerned that Jackson won’t perform outside of that system?
The Ravens primarily run heavy sets, such as a 22 personnel, in which there are two backs and two tight ends on the field. The goal of this type of offense is to condense opposing defenses to create space for ball carriers on the outside. This worked well for the Ravens this past year, as they ranked second in the NFL in team rushing yards per game through the regular season. Jackson ranked second in the league in quarterback rush yards, despite missing five of the 17 regular season games.
This sounds great in terms of offensive production. However, the downside to this type of offensive scheme is that there are limited opportunities for receivers. In the 2022 NFL season, the Ravens did not have a single wide receiver who cracked the top 32 in receiving yards (there are 32 teams in the NFL).
This is a primary reason why Baltimore hasn’t attracted any top wideouts over the past few years, and probably why Marquise Brown, who was Jackson’s second favorite target behind tight end Mark Andrews, requested a trade from the Ravens at the end of the 2021 season.
The reality is that Roman’s offense is tailored for a run-first offense, with additional opportunities for tight ends to make plays. This style of play doesn’t appeal to wide receivers, and as talented as he is, teams aren’t willing to completely change their offense in order to cater to the strengths of Lamar Jackson, and the offense he has succeeded in for the first few years of his young career.
So is there a team that would welcome Lamar Jackson into their offense without the need for a full 180 in offensive personnel and scheme?
Tennessee Titans
The Titans are a perfect example of a run-heavy offense that lacks an elite quarterback. For years, Ryan Tannehill has been a competent game manager, but most of Tennessee’s success has come from running back Derrick Henry, who is coming off of another stellar season, in which he ranked second in the league in rushing yards. The Titans already use Tannehill in zone read actions alongside Derrick Henry, replacing Tannehill with Jackson would only make the zone read even more dangerous when run by the Titans. Added mobility will come in handy in the pass game as well, as the Titans were tied for 4th in the NFL in sacks taken in the 2022 season. Jackson would keep the Titans ahead of the chains, ultimately giving them a better chance to prolong possessions and score points.
About a month after his trade request, Lamar Jackson’s situation is still up in the air. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see how it all unfolds, and who will pick up the electric playmaker.
Written by Ben Kim of Walter Johnson High School
Photo courtesy of Getty Images