7. Baltimore Ravens
Projected Starter: Lamar Jackson
Oh, what an offseason for Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens. Over the last 365 days, literally every possible rumor came out about Jackson. It was like he was on TMZ (actually, he has his own TMZ page). Everyone was talking about Jackson, who signed a five-year, $260 million in late April. The drama was over, and now they could get back to football.
Jackson, despite dealing with injuries last season, is still one of the scariest quarterbacks in the league. He can run better than anyone at his position, but he still has a cannon for an arm. The issue last season was the weapons around him. Outside of Mark Andrews, Jackson wasn’t throwing at much. Demarcus Robinson was their leading receiver. Do you even know where he went in free agency? (It was the Chargers, by the way.)
This season, Jackson has Odell Beckham Jr., a healthy Rashad Bateman, and a healthy Zay Flowers. This is the best receiving corps he’s had regarding talent. There are still questions (especially about health), but this team is full of talent. Add a healthy JK Dobbins, and this team is in business.
Jackson could very easily get back into the MVP race next season. Now that the narratives are over and he can focus on football, the Ravens can once again get back into contention. Don’t be surprised if Jackson gets himself in the top three by year’s end. However, he has to stay healthy and dominate on the ground and through the air to do that.