Tom Brady is arguably the greatest quarterback of all-time but it's fair to ask if his time with the New England Patriots is coming to a close after 2019. Therefore, it's interesting to wonder what could've been had the Patriots chose Lamar Jackson over Sony Michel in the 2018 NFL Draft.
New England selected Michel with the 31st overall pick out of Georgia. At the time, the Patriots saw it best that they addressed the running back position.
Just a pick later, the Ravens were able to add Jackson to their roster to end the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. When Jackson was drafted, he was expected to be a developmental quarterback behind Joe Flacco.
In Michel's rookie campaign, the former Bulldog gained 931 yards and scored six touchdowns on the ground. The young running back also had only seven receptions for 50 yards as a receiving threat.
The Georgia product proved his worth as he combined for 336 rushing yards and six touchdowns in the playoffs. Of course, the Patriots ended up defeating the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl in Michel's first season.
As for Jackson, he was forced to wait a decent portion of the season before getting an opportunity to start. The Ravens began the 2018 season with a 4-5 record with Flacco at quarterback and were headed towards missing the postseason.
But in Week 10, John Harbaugh decided to bench Flacco in favor of the rookie quarterback. The decision to do so could have very well saved Harbaugh's job as he was on the hot seat after a disappointing start.
In Jackson's seven starts to end the year, Baltimore went 6-1 and made the playoffs. The Lousiville alum also flashed his dual-threat ability as he aired it out for 1,201 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions.
At the same time, he recorded 695 rushing yards and five touchdowns with his legs. Unfortunately, Jackson would be eliminated from the playoffs in the first round as he was limited in what he could within the offense due to his inexperience.
But after getting an offseason as the starter, Jackson honed in on his skills. That has resulted in the Ravens' second-year quarterback becoming the front-runner for the NFL's MVP Award.
The electric signal-caller has improved to 2,889 passing yards, 33 touchdowns, and six interceptions. In addition, he's terrorized opposing defenses as he's garnered 1,103 yards and seven scores on the ground.
Above all, Jackson has the Ravens positioned as the No. 1 seed in the AFC at 12-2. Also, Jackson's 1,103 rushing yards are the most by a quarterback in NFL history; surpassing Michael Vick's record.
While Jackson has been strides better than he was in 2018, Michel has noticeably regressed. The Patriots' starting running back currently has one fewer carry than he did in the 2018 season.
Provided that, he also has 189 fewer yards than he gained last year. Along with those numbers, Michel hasn't been able to be as effective after contact as he was in his rookie season.
During his first year in the NFL, Michel was able to log 434 yards after contact (16th in the NFL). This season, it's been a completely different story as he's gotten only 303 yards after contact (26th in the NFL).
As a matter of fact, Jackson as more yards after contact (313) than Michel. That isn't a good look for New England's former first-round pick.
There's no denying that Michel was crucial to New England's playoff success in 2018. On the other hand, it's fair to question whether or not they made a mistake not selecting Jackson.
Brady is 42-years-old and contrary to belief, he isn't going to be able to play forever. With that being said, it's scary to envision Brady passing the torch to Jackson to inevitably extend New England's historic run.
Even without Michel, the Patriots can manage at running back with James White, Rex Burkhead, and Damien Harris. The pairing of Jackson and Josh McDaniels also seems like a match made in heaven.
McDaniels would be able to draw up an offensive system to fit Jackson's skill set. At the same time, Jackson would be able to create plays that Patriots fans haven't seen from a quarterback in the team's history.
Despite the Patriots posting their 17th consecutive season with 10 wins, the choice to not draft Jackson could haunt them for years. Especially considering the fact that Jackson could be dominating the AFC for the foreseeable future in Baltimore.
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