Ravens cooking up ways to get Lamar Jackson on the field right away
The Baltimore Ravens didn't just draft Lamar Jackson to be their quarterback of the future. They're devising ways in which the dual-threat passer can help them this season.
Despite finishing the 2017 season with a 9-7 record and narrowly missing out on a trip to the postseason, the Ravens were ranked 27th in total offense. Enter the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner.
The Ravens traded back into the first round of this year's draft in order to nab Jackson with the 32nd pick. And they intend to use him right away.
"Lamar's a guy that can help us win games," head coach John Harbaugh said after the first day of rookie minicamp.
He suggested his coaching staff is already hard at work coming up with ways to implement the rookie into the offense.
"You do it in practice. We do it in the laboratory. Obviously we've got coaches that have had a lot of experience with that," Harbaugh said.
Jackson passed for 30 touchdowns in his Heisman-winning season and rushed for 21 more. He threw 27 TDs last year and added 18 rushing scores.
The Ravens, a team bereft of offensive talent, could sorely use his contributions.