After a second consecutive season that ended in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Baltimore Ravens are looking to improve one specific area, which is protecting quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Speaking to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said that one of the team’s priorities in the offseason will be to make sure that Jackson remains upright and has enough time to throw the football.
“One of the things we have to do is get better up front with pass protection,” DeCosta told Hensley. “The offensive line, in general, really battled versus some adversity this year. But pass protection is going to be a factor.”
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh echoed DeCosta’s assessment, saying that the team needs to build the best offensive line that we can and that it will be an important part of how the team builds its personnel for next season.
Despite having the NFL’s best rushing attack during in 2020, Baltimore also had the league’s worst passing attack, averaging just 171.2 passing yards per game and 2,739 total passing yards in 16 games.
In Jackson’s three playoff losses in the past three seasons, he was either hit or pressured in 40 of 137 total dropbacks (29%), completing just 24.1% of his passes (seven of 29 passes for 103 yards), according to Hensley’s report.
One of the Ravens offensive linemen, starting right tackle Orlando Brown Jr., has already hinted at wanting to play for a team that will start him at left tackle. This means that the Ravens might need to make big changes in their offensive line so that DeCosta’s and Harbaugh’s goal of giving their quarterback improved pass protection is realized.
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