Steve Young knows Lamar Jackson is so much more than merely a mobile quarterback. The Hall of Famer who won a Super Bowl with the San Francisco 49ers defended Jackson’s progression in a more complex offense this season, while also urging the Baltimore Ravens to continue to trust the process and let Jackson develop his game.
Speaking to Sarah Ellison and Bobby Trosset of “The Vault: A Daily Ravens Podcast,” Young said Jackson’s rushing skills will “never go away. He’ll be 40 years old and making people miss. I promise you.”
Instead, Young wants Jackson to continue focusing on refining his eye for a pass. There’s been considerable improvement this season after Todd Monken took over as offensive coordinator and the Ravens equipped Jackson with wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor and rookie Zay Flowers.
Even so, Young believes there’s still work to be done: “It’s not just getting weapons and not just getting the process and the commitment to a sophisticated passing game and then calling them in clutch situations in big games or week to week. It’s really Lamar needs to make that transition and I think he is chewing on that, and I just encourage him to keep chewing on it.”
Jackson will get the chance to show he’s taking Young’s advice when the Ravens meet Young’s former team at Levi’s Stadium on Christmas Day. It’s a matchup of the only two teams in the NFL with 11-3 records.
The Ravens have got there behind Jackson’s brilliance, even though Young knows he’s still learning the ropes within a more nuanced system. The 62-year-old passionately defended Jackson and the running quarterbacks who dominate today’s game.
