Ravens' Lamar Jackson Criticized for Questionable Reliability

Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston pulled no punches in accusing Jackson's repeatedly holding everyone else back with his attitude, reportedly needing things his way despite constantly proving himself unreliable between nonstop injuries, questions and failures to deliver in the clutch.

"The Ravens should explore all options," he wrote. "It's clear that coach John Harbaugh has become tired of Jackson, even though he builds him up after every game. He has to, or Jackson will go into his own self-exile."

"The Ravens should look at possible trades, which could net them two or three first-round picks. Jackson would love to play in Miami, where quarterback Tue Tagovailoa is no longer the starter, or possible Las Vegas, where [Tom] Brady, a partial owner of the Raiders, has shown a fondness for him. Baltimore should also draft a young quarterback in the early rounds."

Injecting Nuance into Preston's Jabs

Preston goes on to call the 2x MVP an "overgrown kid in an adult's body" in his skewering of the way that Jackson's conducted his recent business with the Ravens on and off the field, and though piling onto his constant practice absences has become a recent trend, it is fair to run through just how difficult the franchise has made his job this season.

The offensive line, for one, has failed to protect their quarterback like he's never seen before, constantly leaving him under duress with pockets collapsing in record time while running lanes repeatedly close off before anyone has time to burst throw. Jackson's accuracy hasn't quite been there since he missed a few games in tending to injuries, which couldn't have been a surprise after the constant slew of hits he's been exposed for, and the downfield playmakers he's been left with haven't exactly demonstrated the stickiest of fingers in attempting to make their catches.

They, as well as the decision-makers who put them in position they simply aren't qualified for at this point in their respective careers, need a lot more evaluation than Jackson does. Choosing between a generationally-talented quarterback and a sub-par supporting cast has never been made out to be more difficult than it has been in analyzing Baltimore's ongoing spiral.