ESPN Admits ‘Controversial’ Decision With Ravens QB Rankings
The Baltimore Ravens have Lamar Jackson, which mean they automatically have one of the NFL’s best quarterback situations.
But the best?
That’s what ESPN.com’s Mike Clay believes, as he ranked Baltimore’s QB room No. 1 in a recent story ranking positional groups across the NFL.
“This will be controversial to some,” Clay wrote for ESPN.com, “but Lamar Jackson led all quarterbacks in QBR, ANY/A (adjusted net yards per passing attempt) and expected points added. Jackson has been an All-Pro for the past two seasons and won the NFL MVP in 2019 and 2023.”
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Lamar Jackson Getting Deserved Credit, Might Be Getting Better
It’s hard to believe for someone who’s already won two MVP awards and nearly won a third in 2024, but the 28-year-old Jackson might just be entering his prime. Last season was statistically the best of his career, and he appears to only be improving.
“He fell just short of his second consecutive MVP last season despite career highs in passing yards (4,172) and passing touchdowns (41, tied for second in the league),” Clay continued. “The dual-threat quarterback has never finished a season lower than second among QBs in rushing yards, too.”
This comes on the heels of Jackson finally breaking into Tier 1 of The Athletic’s annual quarterback rankings. Jackson has left no doubt that he belongs in the same conversation as elite QBs like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow.
But as Clay notes, giving Jackson (and technically, backup Cooper Rush) the nod over everyone else is something few have done to this point.
But he’s not alone. ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky recently compiled his own rankings in which he scored players for various skills and traits. Jackson was the only QB to rank in the top four in each of Orlovsky’s seven criteria: arm strength, ball placement, mechanics, decision-making with the football, pocket presence, rushing ability and second-reaction ability.
Where Jackson Has Made His Biggest Strides
It’s actually kind of remarkable to look back at how Jackson has evolved and improved over the last few years. Then-quarterbacks coach James Urban is quoted on the team’s official website in 2021 as saying there were some clear areas for improvement, like mechanics and decision-making, specifically not trying to do too much.
Now, here we are just four years later, and one of the best-known quarterback analysts is praising Jackson for his mechanics (No. 4) and his decision-making (No. 3).
“Jackson led the league in wide-open target percentage, with 34.4% of his throws targeting receivers with 5 or more yards of separation, per NFL Next Gen Stats,” Orlovsky wrote for ESPN.com. “See the open man, throw to the open man. Burrow (1.4%), Allen (1.2%) and Jackson (0.8%) all ranked in the top five in interception rate last season, too.”
Unsurprisingly, the areas in which Jackson himself most wants to improve are intangible. He admitted he wanted to work hard on becoming a better leader and communicate better with his teammates. So far, it sounds as if he’s doing just that, with offensive coordinator Todd Monken praising the Louisville product for the strides he’s making in that regard, too.
Coincidentally, the critics will be put to the test right away. Jackson and the Ravens open the season with Allen and the Bills and Week 1 before a Week 4 showdown with Mahomes and Chiefs.
Ravens may have landed hidden gem by nabbing Alohi Gilman in Odafe Oweh trade
The Baltimore Ravens made a shocking trade on Tuesday, dealing outside linebacker Odafe Oweh and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for safety Alohi Gilman and a 2026 fifth-round pick.
The big player in the deal was Oweh, who is coming off a 10-sack season in 2024, but has yet to tally his first sack of 2025. The 26-year-old is also in a contract year, and was likely on his way out of Baltimore by season’s end, so he will get a chance to stand out on one of the better contenders in the AFC as he looks to play into a big-time contract by the time the 2026 offseason rolls around.
With most of the attention on Oweh, Baltimore’s acquisition of Gilman is flying under the radar. He is not a flashy player by any means, but he has been a strong contributor to Los Angeles’ defense throughout his six-year career. Now, he joins a Ravens’ defense that is searching for its identity in the midst of a disastrous start to the 2025 campaign.
Many of the issues that have led to Baltimore having the league’s worst defense through five weeks have been due to the lack of communication. Blown coverages have been a common theme, as they have given up 1,313 passing yards, which is the second-worst mark in the NFL. In Gilman, the Ravens now have themselves an Ar’Darius Washington replacement, which should allow the rest of the secondary to flex their versatile muscles.
Alohi Gilman is an underrated acquisition
Washington played a key role in 2024, helping turn around a defense that was among the worst in the NFL through the first half of the regular season. Since he was thrust onto the starting defense, Baltimore became one of the best units. While the Ravens faced some of the worst offenses down the stretch of that season, the unit looked far more sound, and they could see similar reconstructions with Gilman playing next to rookie safety Malaki Starks.
Gilman has posted a 65.5 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus. He has proven to be a starting-caliber safety, and while he has the tendency to blow coverages every now and then, he brings depth to a depleted secondary. Most notably, the move will allow versatile safety Kyle Hamilton to hover around the field and be the dynamic playmaker everyone knows he is capable of being.
