Getty Ex-Raiders WR DeSean Jackson.
Last season, DeSean Jackson made a mistake by requesting a release from the Los Angeles Rams. He then signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, which was a team desperate for wide receiver help. The Rams went on to win the Super Bowl and Jackson only had eight catches in seven games with the Raiders.
The three-time Pro Bowler proved that he still had some juice last year as he accumulated 454 receiving yards. The Baltimore Ravens are a team that needed wide receiver help badly so they brought Jackson in for a visit. That visit must have gone well as the team has signed Jackson, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Ravens are signing veteran WR DeSean Jackson, his agent @DrewJRosenhaus confirmed. At 35, Jackson is back for his 15th NFL season.
When healthy, Jackson is one of the greatest deep threats the NFL has ever seen. He’s had trouble staying healthy over his career but he was able to play in 16 games last season. If he can play consistently for the Ravens the rest of the way, he could be a good asset for them. Baltimore is a run-first team but having a guy who can blow the top off of the defense would certainly help them. The Ravens have gotten off to a disappointing 3-3 start but are one of the best offenses in the NFL and currently fifth in the league in scoring offense. Adding Jackson should help the passing offense once he’s able to get on the field.
AFC off to Rough Start
There was a lot of talk about how stacked the AFC is heading into the season but that hasn’t looked the case through six weeks of football. The Buffalo Bills are the only team that looks like a juggernaut. Many would say the Kansas City Chiefs are also a juggernaut but they are a few plays away from being 2-4 or 3-3.
The Raiders are 1-4 but not out of the playoff race yet. There are only four teams in the AFC with four or more wins. The Raiders can get right back into the playoff race with a two or three-game winning streak. That’s certainly possible considering the team’s next three opponents have two or fewer wins. Winning all three of those games puts the Raiders at 4-4 and squarely back in the playoff mix.
Mick Lombardi Talks Raiders Run Game
If the Raiders hope to turn things around, they’ll have to do it on the back of Josh Jacobs. The passing game has yet to click but the running back has been excellent over the past two games. Jacobs is third in the NFL with 490 rushing yards despite playing one fewer game than every other player in the top five. Raiders offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi spoke about how the rushing offense has come alive in recent weeks.
“I think consistency in practice is a big part of it,” Lombardi said Tuesday. “Obviously, we had some things happen the first couple weeks in terms of we fell behind in some games and kind of had to get back in some games throwing the football. And I think these guys consistently perform well practice on Wednesdays and Thursdays in pads and really focusing on their assignment and stuff like that. I think that’s really been showing up in games and I think that’s really been a big part of where the running game has kind of come from.”