Ravens Urged to Keep ‘Lamar Jackson Out of Trouble' in 2026
The Baltimore Ravens have a new head coach with Jesse Minter at the helm, and their move away from John Harbaugh was one of the most surprising of the NFL offseason.
Last season, the Ravens clocked an 8-9 record and no trip to the postseason, but they were also dealing with injuries, including to star quarterback Lamar Jackson.
If the Ravens want to advance in the new season, and they do, they have to keep Jackson healthy, but they also have to keep him protected in hot moments.
In a Tuesday, May 12 feature on each NFL team’s biggest weakness at this point in the season, Christian D’Andrea of USA Today’s For the Win says that the team has to keep Jackson “out of trouble” and away from the danger of being sacked.
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“2025 was a concerning year for Baltimore’s pass protection,” she states in the piece. “The team’s 9.6 percent sack rate allowed was one of the worst in the league. Lamar Jackson’s absence didn’t help, but he posted a career-worst 10.7 percent sack rate when on the field.”
D’Andrea adds: “As a result, the Ravens’ third down conversion rate dipped, what had been the league’s most efficient offense fell outside the top 10 and a rebuild took place in the offseason, replacing parts along the offensive line and ushering out the John Harbaugh era.”
My Analysis: Lamar Jackson Holds the Key to the Baltimore Ravens’ Success
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When Jackson was out injured last season, if greatly impacted the team’s record, and that’s really what killed their chances at a playoff run. But, when he was on the field, it’s true that those sacks added up. So, absolutely, the Baltimore Ravens need to figure out this protection problem for Jackson and make sure that he has the time that he needs to get the ball into the right player’s hands.
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This story was originally published May 13, 2026 at 10:22 AM.