Kyler Murray 'Can Be Better' Than Lamar Jackson, Per NFL Offensive Coach

Kyler Murray is on pace to have a superior fantasy season than Lamar Jackson's 2019 MVP breakout. 

As an actual NFL quarterback, some coaches are starting to think he's better than Jackson overall. 

"I don't know what his numbers are, but every time I look on the tape, he's making some huge play," an offensive coach told Mike Sando of The Athletic. "Sometimes it's for the other team, but goodness gracious, that guy is a baller. I think he is a 2, hands down, and the sky is the limit. I think he can be better than Lamar because I think he's a true passer and he can run similarly, so there is even more upside to Kyler than Lamar as an all-around quarterback."

Murray has been better than Jackson in every regard this season, aside from turnovers (Murray nine, Jackson seven). He's thrown for more touchdowns, completed a higher percentage of his passes and averaged more yards per attempt. In terms of advanced metrics, QBR, DVOA and Pro Football Focus' grades all prefer Murray.

The 2019 version of Jackson is superior to 2020 Murray in several of those categories, so it might be fairer to say they're around even from an evaluation standpoint.

In terms of projections for the future, Murray's ceiling as a passer may put him over the edge. Jackson, even in his MVP season, never showed much aptitude at making downfield throws—an issue that has carried over into 2020. The Ravens have struggled in some cases against elite defenses because they're able to successfully dare him to beat them over the top.

"He still has a lot to learn, but the great thing about Lamar is he recognizes that," Ravens coach John Harbaugh told reporters last week. "He understands that people are making him the focus. He has got to find a way to tighten up his game and beat those things with precision and accuracy and his mind. They're doing everything they can with a lot of smart and talented people to stop Lamar Jackson the week that they play him."

Murray isn't necessarily more aggressive than Jackson. Kliff Kingsbury's system utilizes a ton of short passes meant for receivers to make plays after the catch, similar to Jackson's in Baltimore.

However, Murray has been one of the more accurate quarterbacks in football. His 68.1 completion percentage is 4.4 points higher than his expected completion percentage, per NFL NextGen Stats. By contrast, Jackson's completion percentage (62.9 percent) is 2.1 percentage points worse than expected.