3 reasons why Lamar Jackson isn't a top 10 quarterback
Lamar Jackson’s confidence has never waned. In his mind, the former league MVP should be viewed amongst the best signal-callers in the NFL.
However, while Jackson believes his skills should be lauded and respected, those closely around the league are unwilling to give him his just due.
According to a recent story published on ESPN, a poll was taken by several NFL players, executives, and coaches. The aforementioned group was asked a fairly simple, “rank the 10 best quarterbacks in the NFL.”
The likes of Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady understandably made the list, as did Russell Wilson and Joe Burrow.
But one of the conclusions that the participants came to was that Lamar Jackson was simply not amongst the 10 best QBs in the league.
Many have since been split over whether or not Jackson should be included in the list. In an effort to quell those who continue to ponder over the subject, we’ve made our own analysis. Based on our findings and Jackson's overall play, he simply isn’t a top 10 QB at the moment.
Bemused by our decision? Keep reading to understand why it's a conclusion worth reaching.
#3 His numbers simply don’t stack up
From the moment Lamar Jackson stepped foot onto an NFL turf, fans around the league were immediately glued to their respective television sets. Jackson, seemingly on every play, dashed effortlessly down the field, leaving his defenders in the dust.
Although he provided onlookers with his nightly highlights, his speed and elusiveness masked his biggest problem: his inability to throw the football.
Over the course of four seasons, only once has Jackson registered a completion percentage in the top 10. Outside of his specular 2019 season, Jackson’s rank in terms of completion percentage reads as follows: 22nd in 2021, 27th in 2020, and in 2018, Jackson wasn't even ranked in the top 32.
Additionally, Jackson’s passing yards have continually ranked near the bottom of the league. Last season, which marked Jackson’s fourth year in the NFL, came to an end after he threw for just 2,882 yards, good for only 25th in the league.
In 2020, Jackson ranked just 20th with 2,757 passing yards. In 2019, his MVP season, the quarterback finished with 3,089 passing yards, still ranking only 22nd in the NFL.
When we sift through Lamar Jackson’s numbers outside of his rushing yards, the former league MVP simply doesn't come off well.
#2 Declining overall numbers
Lamar Jackson had seemingly arrived at the doorstep of superstardom after a ridiculously productive 2019 season. The Baltimore Ravens, in kind, believed that their search for a quarterback of the future had officially come to an end. However, questions have now surfaced surrounding Jackson’s deteriorating game.
In 2019, Jackson was nearly unstoppable. The Baltimore faithful rose to their feet and cheered both loudly and proudly as he led them to 13 victories. In doing so, Jackson easily nabbed the league MVP award after throwing for 3,127 yards, 36 touchdowns, and just six interceptions.
Although the season ultimately ended earlier than many were expecting, Jackson's career arc appeared to be pointing upward. Yet, regardless of those ambitious preconceived notions, Jackson’s numbers have continued to spiral.
In 2020, he managed just 2,757 passing yards, 26 TDs, 9 INTs and 1,005 rushing yards. The Ravens star then recorded 2,882 passing yards, 16 TDs, 13 INTs and 767 rushing yards in 2021.
As the rest of the league continues to dissect more of Lamar Jackson’s game tape, his flaws have been accentuated. Unless Jackson introduces more wrinkles to his game, his numbers will continue to go in the wrong direction.
#1 Lamar Jackson’s team success is fleeting
With the Baltimore Ravens teetering towards mediocrity during the 2018 league year, Lamar Jackson was inserted into the starting lineup. The plan, ultimately, was for Jackson to bring a different dynamic to a Ravens team that was desperately looking for inspiration.
By all accounts, Baltimore’s plan initially worked. Joe Flacco, their former Super Bowl-winning QB, was ushered out the back door as Jackson led a team that appeared to be dead in the water to a 6-1 record. The following season, Baltimore continued their rise, winning 14 games.
However, since then, Lamar Jackson has been unable to keep the momentum going. Despite a down year in 2020, Jackson led the Ravens to a 11-win season. However, last year, Jackson racked up just seven wins in 12 starts.
Jackson will likely be anxious to prove that the past two seasons were nothing more than flukey. He will attempt to lead Baltimore to another double-digit season and in time, a lengthy postseason run.
Regardless, with Jackson struggling to put together wins on a consistent basis last season, it's difficult to argue against his exclusion from ESPN’s top 10 list. Another poor season in 2022 will only validate the call made by the league's executives, players and coaches.