Would you rather have Patrick Mahomes or Lamar Jackson?

Lamar Jackson’s playing style worries us long term

Lamar Jackson has 323 rushes for 1,900 yards in his first two seasons in the NFL. He’s also been sacked 39 times. That means he has taken more than 400 hits in two years when you factor in hits not resulting in sacks.

Inversely, Mahomes has taken about half the punishment in two-plus seasons. He is not the least prolific runner in the NFL, but he is far from the runner that Jackson is.

A final note that seems prudent: while Andy Reid has created a pass-first offensive game plan around his young superstar, the Ravens have created a run-first system around their MVP. This could mean it will be harder for the former Heisman Trophy-winner to get away from the running game.

It’s unlikely Jackson — or anyone — has as long of a career as someone who runs less than half as much. While he has yet to show durability concerns in the NFL, they feel almost inevitable. In fact, sports analytics group “Sports Injury Predictor” speculates that there is a 25 percent chance of significant injury for the Baltimore quarterback in 2020.