Jan 4, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) practices before the game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Ravens' Lamar Jackson Already Attracting MVP Buzz

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Feb 11, 2026 6:00 PM ET

At long last, the 2025 NFL season has concluded, with the Seattle Seahawks opening 2026 atop the rest of the league as the reigning Super Bowl winners. In the meantime, every other team, including the Baltimore Ravens, is allowing the outside world to start raising the question; who'll headline next year's league?

This goes beyond the winners of the big game. That'll be difficult to predict until we have an idea of the contenders to keep eyes out for, and that starts by dissecting which teams roster the best players.

Lamar Jackson's Ravens are perfectly positioned to surge right back into the contending spot that they spent years occupying and consolidating. He has an all-new coaching staff that's excited to unleash the star's dual threat skillset, as well as a refocused front office locked into salvaging all of the roster's weaker points. And judging by the relatively-unimpressive New England Patriots who ended up representing the AFC in the championship game, the conference could use someone to swoop in and assert some dominance.

James Lang-Imagn Images

All of the Ravens' mounting momentum has landed Jackson right back into another year of MVP speculation, familiar territory for the star quarterback. Even when he's not winning top regular season honors, something he's done twice, he's usually squarely in the race as one of the best week-to-week players that the NFL has to offer.

ESPN's experts each made their pick for all of the various MVP contenders to keep eyes out for between now and the 2026 regular season, and Ben Solak was sure to give Jackson a shoutout in his estimation.

"Jackson has a full offseason to get healthy and a new offensive coordinator in Declan Doyle," he wrote. "When Jackson has a full season to accrue counting stats, he's always in the conversation."

Jackson's Enticing Argument

It helps the Raven's case that few NFL players have responded as well to drastic coaching shuffling as well as he has in the pros. In both 2019 and 2023, he first seasons for his last offensive coordinators in Greg Roman and Todd Monken, respectively, he's re-paid all of the trust he was ladled with by taking the MVP trophy home, setting Doyle up for success before they've even started officially plotting together.

Brent Skeen-Imagn Images

He'll have no shortage of competition in his hunt for reclaiming the honor, with past in-conference winners in Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen each positioned to foil Jackson's endeavors once again.

But should the Ravens follow through on their previously-stated intentions of shoring up both sides of their line, a demanding task that'll keep Jackson out of more shootouts in protecting his pocket while locking down the other side of the ball, there's his clear window at taking advantage of a lighter schedule and the honeymoon stage with a new sideline staff.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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