Getty Lamar Jackson's two biggest problems can be solved by the Ravens trading for a multiple 1,000-yd WR.
Lamar Jackson needs help. He still doesn’t have enough quality wide receivers, even after the Baltimore Ravens signed DeSean Jackson.
The lack of premier targets on the outside is causing two big problems for the Ravens’ franchise quarterback. Both of those issues showed up during Week 7’s narrow 23-20 win over the Cleveland Browns.
Victory gave the Ravens control of the AFC North, but two worrying aspects of Jackson’s game could doom this team’s Super Bowl hopes. They are problems general manager Eric DeCosta can fix by acquiring a six-time 1,000-yard wide receiver who has been “generating trade interest,” according to one NFL insider.
Much-Traveled Deep Threat Makes Sense for Jackson & Ravens
Brandin Cooks “has been the target of multiple calls,” per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport:
The Ravens should be placing a call of their own for a wideout with a prolific track record. Cooks is well travelled, having spent time with the New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Houston Texans.
He’s been productive at every stop, recording six 1,000-yard seasons and scoring 49 touchdowns. Yet despite putting up positive numbers wherever he’s been, Cooks has been traded three times since being drafted 20th overall by the Saints in 2014.
As Around the NFL’s Kevin Patra pointed out, Cooks “would tie Eric Dickerson for most trades in one career if shipped out again.” There’s reason to believe a fourth trade could happen, despite Cooks being on a hefty contract with the Texans, per Patra: “The wideout has been stellar in Houston and is coming off back-to-back 1,000-plus yard seasons. Cooks signed a two-year contract extension in April worth just shy of $40 million with $36 million guaranteed, keeping him under contract through 2024.”
The Texans may have invested heavily in Cooks during the offseason, but the AFC South franchise is 1-4-1 and in full rebuilding mode. Cooks is a viable trade chip for a team that needs all the future draft capital it can get to help build around second-year QB Davis Mills III.
Mills has other intriguing weapons even though Cooks is still leading the Texans in receptions (28) and targets (47), per Pro Football Reference. Those other weapons include wideouts Nico Collins and Chris Moore, along with tight end Jordan Akins. Every member of this trio is averaging more than the 10 yards per reception Cooks has posted.
Collins is beginning to supplant Cooks as Mills’ go-to target, per Adam Aizer of CBS Sports:
Nico Collins has more receiving yards than Brandin Cooks in 4 straight games
The Ravens could use Cooks in a system more suited to his strengths and help him ease the growing burden on Jackson to make quicker reads and beat pressure.
Fatal Flaws Emerging in Jackson’s Game
A win over the Browns can’t paper over all of the cracks appearing in the Ravens’ offense. The main fissure is in the passing game and Mike Jones of The Athletic explained why: “without wideouts who can consistently win one-on-one matchups, this Ravens offense is far from where it needs to be. That’s evident not only in Baltimore’s production, but also in the lack of comfort and confidence Jackson exhibits while scanning the field for options.”
Jackson taking longer to trust his options on the outside is just one part of the problem. Baltimore’s QB1 isn’t the only person who is not confident in his receivers.
The lack of respect is shared by defensive coordinators around the league. They are taking advantage by sending more rushers after Jackson.
It’s a risky strategy, but blitzing 2019’s NFL MVP is beginning to work, according to ESPN’s Matt Bowen:
We saw the Browns sending pressure vs. Lamar Jackson today. And the numbers match up.
Becoming a defensive trend, too.
Blitz rate vs. Lamar (last three weeks)
Week 5: CIN = 47.1%
Week 6: NYG = 63.7%
Week 7: CLE = 45.5%
49 dropbacks (during that stretch). 19-of-44 passing.
Defenses wouldn’t dare be so blitz happy if Jackson had a legitimate deep threat at his disposal. That’s what D-Jax is supposed to be, but the 35-year-old didn’t play a snap against the Browns after being signed to the practice squad on Tuesday, October 18.
Jackson will eventually help the Ravens push the ball vertically more often, but Cooks can also be an asset in this area. He’s averaged 13.4 yards per reception during his career and showed off his enduring speed on this 41-yard scoring grab against the New York Jets last season:
Brandin Cooks deep TD catch, great throw by Taylor, Texans up 14-3
Cooks can still stretch the field, the same as Jackson and is six years the latter’s junior. Defenses would soon start showing the Ravens soft zones and two deep safeties with Jackson and Cooks in the lineup. Their presence would also take attention away from All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews, who was held without a catch by the Browns.
Cooks and Jackson are more proven commodities than Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay and James Proche, the young receivers the Ravens planned to count on this season. DeCosta continuing not to equip his elite QB with marquee receivers would be a needless waste of talent.
Jackson is playing in a contract year, so he has ample motivation to post career-best numbers, but that won’t happen until the Ravens give him the weapons he needs.