Lamar Jackson clearly a work in progress

Of all the Ravens quarterbacks the fans saw on Thursday night, Lamar Jackson seems to be the most exciting, yet unpolished.

The Baltimore Ravens saw three quarterbacks take the field at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium against the Chicago Bears on Thursday night, but one is more enigmatic than the rest. Lamar Jackson took the reins from Josh Woodrum immediately after halftime and played until the last whistle.

His first drive was forgettable, ending in a punt from Kaare Vedvik.

Jackson came out for his second drive and showed off the speed and evasiveness that was always on display at Louisville, as well as the ability to fire the ball into tight spaces.

Jackson capped off his second drive with a well-executed pass to fellow first-round pick Hayden Hurst, with much of the sideline, and Ravens faithful, enjoying the first look at the dynamic quarterback.

Jackson didn’t lead another scoring drive for the rest of the evening, going 4-for-10 on the night with only 33 passing yards to go with a touchdown and an interception. He also had 25 rushing yards on eight attempts.

It was only one game, but many fans, even after only one half of football, have witnessed the highs and lows of Lamar Jackson’s style of play.

He was electric in his movements and was able to evade a few tackles, but was not able to make much of the extra opportunities he created for himself.

Unlike Robert Griffin III, Jackson seemed to be unsure of the offense to this point, as well as not being entirely confident in himself to put his team in a better situation on the field.

Although, these drawbacks are to be expected, Jackson is only a rookie in a league with an already steep learning curve.

Currently, his legs are his greatest asset, but to truly succeed in the NFL, running has to become a second option and his throwing mechanics have to be changed dramatically to increase the accuracy and velocity of his passes.

If there was anything to be learned from the game last night, it is that Joe Flacco should remain the starter for the Baltimore Ravens and that Griffin III should stay as the second string.

Sure, Jackson’s raw talent is enticing to many NFL scouts and fans alike, but he needs a lot more work if he’s going to take the starting job from Flacco in 2019. Jackson is definitely a project, but if the Ravens play their cards right, he can be the future under center.