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Lamar Jackson continues to have a hard time making it onto the top NFL players lists put together by various outlets this offseason. The franchise quarterback isn’t the only member of the Baltimore Ravens getting the cold shoulder.
Jackson, who was recently omitted from a top-10 ranking of quarterbacks drawn up by ESPN, was snubbed again this week. This time, he couldn’t even make it onto a list of 50 players compiled by Pro Football Focus.
Jackson’s omission might be explained by the five games he missed last season. It’s tougher to understand how his teammate who appeared in every game and led all players at his position in most meaningful statistical categories also didn’t make the list.
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Jackson and Go-To Target Both Shunned
Neither Jackson nor tight end Mark Andrews are included in the PFF 50, a ranking of the best players in the league right now. The list was put together by Sam Monson, who explained how the rankings were made: “No single number or grade dictates this list, but the grading along with PFF’s wins above replacement (WAR) metric has been used as a foundation while weighting toward the most recent season.”
A judgement weighted toward the 2021 season helps explain the lack of love for Jackson. He set a historic pace through eight games, per ESPN Stats & Info:
Lamar Jackson is the 1st player in NFL history with 2,000 pass yards and 600 rush yards through 8 games of a season.
Jackson is on pace for 4,694 pass yards and 1,275 rush yards.
The most rush yards in a season with 4,500 pass yards is 444 (2020 Deshaun Watson).
Jackson’s hopes of replicating his 2019 league MVP season were dashed by an ankle injury that ultimately forced him to miss the final five games. The injury made what Andrews achieved all the more impressive.
Andrews Did More With Less Than Sole Ranked TE
He amassed 107 catches for 1,361 yards and nine touchdowns. Naturally, all of those were career-best numbers for Andrews, who paced every other tight end in the game, according to NFL on CBS:
Mark Andrews ranks among TE last season
NFL Rank
Receptions 107 1st
Rec Yards 1,361 1st
Rec TD 9 t-1st
First Downs 75 1st
Those rankings make it more than surprising there was no place for Andrews in the PFF list. Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, undoubtedly a brilliant player, is the only tight end who made the grade.
Kelce is a prolific playmaker, but one who also benefits from catching passes thrown by one of the game’s elite quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes. Andrews didn’t have that same luxury for the whole of last season.
Tyler Huntley and Josh Johnson both attempted in vain to replace Jackson, yet Andrews still posted three of his best games during the run-in. He caught 11 passes for 115 yards against the Cleveland Browns in Week 14, then followed with 10 grabs for 136 yards and two scores against the Green Bay Packers.
Andrews turned eight catches into 125 yards against the Cincinnati Bengals a week later. This prodigious three-game spell also yielded four touchdowns:
Touchdown, Mark Andrews! #RavensFlock
📺: #BALvsCIN on CBS
📱: NFL app
Getting open and scoring freely when every team knows you’re the only receiving threat worth doubling is one thing. Still doing those things while making backup quarterbacks look good is beyond impressive.
Andrews deserved a spot on the list, but like Jackson, he may have to get used to being snubbed.
Jackson Still Has His Doubters
Jackson’s won an MVP award, been named an All-Pro, gone to a pair of Pro Bowls and made three trips to the playoffs. He’s won at a better rate than quarterbacks drafted higher than him who earn more money, including Buffalo Bills starter Josh Allen and Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals:
Highest win pct among QBs drafted since 2018
(min 20 starts)
Lamar Jackson .755
Josh Allen .650
Tua Tagovailoa .619
Baker Mayfield .492
Kyler Murray .489
Yet, there are still those who believe Jackson has a lot left to prove. One unnamed NFL offensive coach told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler Jackson can struggle when asked to win games with his arm: “But if you play that way [with a run-heavy attack] and it’s a close game and you’re down, it’s really hard to win, because you’re asked to do what you only minor in, not major in, and that’s passing the ball when they know you are gonna pass it.”
It’s a sentiment echoed by Greg Cosell of NFL Films, who told the Ross Tucker Football Podcast, Jackson “will leave some throws on the field” in third-down situations:
“He’s always going to leave throws on the field, it’s who he is …”
@GregCosell watched every single 3rd down drop back for Lamar Jackson in 2021 and this was his breakdown
There may be gaps in Jackson’s game, but there aren’t many who can do what he can do at any moment on the field. He’s unleashed his dual-threat brilliance on numerous occasions, despite the lack of an elite wide receiver, true consistency along his offensive line and injuries among his running backs.
Jackson and Andrews both do more with less than many of the biggest names at their respective positions. Another season of doing the same will make it impossible for list-makers to snub them much longer.
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Lamar Jackson and Fellow Ravens All-Pro Snubbed from PFF List