Fantasy Alert: Lamar Jackson Reportedly 'Loves' Ravens' New Offense and Is 'Thriving'

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson apparently isn't needing much of an adjustment period in new offensive coordinator Todd Monken's offense.

"He loves it. I checked with a few people in Baltimore, I get exclamation points back in the text messages that he's sort of thriving in this new system," ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said Sunday on SportsCenter. "He's got more ownership. He can make more changes at the line of scrimmage. He's really been working the last couple of years, I'm told, on throwing outside the numbers, sort of that intermediate to deep stuff, throwing deep to wide receivers on the outside. He will have more chances in this offense to do that, and really, he's responded well. This is a quarterback that ran the ball a little bit less last year, less than 10 rushing attempts per game, really for the first time in his career. So, he's trying to stay more in the pocket, operate there, really to sustain his career. He's in a spot now where he's going to do that even less, probably, he's going to throw more."

Monken replaced Greg Roman as the Ravens' offensive coordinator in February. Roman had guided the offense since 2019, which coincided with Jackson's first full season as a starter. Jackson won the 2019 NFL MVP and made two Pro Bowls under Roman, but the Ravens' game-planning stagnated over the last two seasons—thanks in no small part to Jackson's injury issues.

Monken, who most recently served as the offensive coordinator at Georgia, tends to prefer a more wide open, pass-happier approach. That could come as a welcome change for Jackson, who has long not gotten enough credit for his development as a passer due to his sensational athleticism.

"Cool is out," Monken told reporters last week at minicamp. "Execution is in. ... The cooler we are, the less we execute. When we get out there on the field, it's not about being cool – it's not about that; it's about your preparation that leads up to practice [and that] you fight like heck during the week, so that come game day, it comes to life."

Baltimore also fortified the supporting cast around Jackson this offseason, signing Odell Beckham Jr. to a one-year contract and using its first-round pick on wideout Zay Flowers. Most importantly, the Ravens also signed their franchise quarterback to a five-year, $260 million contract that squashed the tension between the two sides that grew over extended negotiations.

As it stands, this should be the most unlocked version of Jackson we've ever seen. Whether that's good or bad for the Ravens remains to be seen.