The calendar is slowly ticking off precious offseason days as Lamar Jackson’s contract stalemate with the Ravens drags on, each day chipping away. While John Harbaugh is mapping out the game plan for the September 7 showdown against Buffalo, the league analysts have come forward with future tellings. A two-time MVP and arguably the most electrifying playmaker in football, Jackson has a curious position on it. ESPN’s annual poll has spoken, and the verdict stings.
Jackson now trails behind Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and, clutch your pearls, Joe Burrow in the rankings. Gasps ripple through the league at Burrow’s leapfrog and Jackson’s fall. The Ravens’ fate hinges on Jackson’s miracle plays. But fighting against the poll predictions is Dan Orlovsky, a former NFL quarterback with 12 years of league experience, and he has made his pick.
In a recent post on X, he cast his vote for Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. “I’m going Lamar. It has to be Lamar,” Orlovsky said. Jackson is entering his third year under head coach John Harbaugh’s current system. The 2024 season saw Baltimore finish 11-6. The Ravens made the playoffs but fell short of their Super Bowl goal.
Out of Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow, @danorlovsky7 believes Lamar Jackson will win a championship next pic.twitter.com/ZBQOUkmUPA
— First Take (@FirstTake) July 14, 2025
Looking back on 2023, the Ravens had one of their best regular seasons in recent history. They finished with a 13-4 record and secured the top seed in the AFC. However, their postseason dreams were dashed by the Kansas City Chiefs, facing the dreaded Mahomes in the AFC Championship. They lost that matchup 17-10. This year, players are determined not to repeat the same mistake. Tight end Isaiah Likely said it best in an interview with Orlovsky, “We have to not forget who we are in the playoffs.”
Orlovsky believes the Ravens are set to break through, going against historical tides of bad playoffs. He explained, “Two years ago, they had the number one defence in football and they fell short. And then last year they had the number one offence in football and fell short.” He continued, “This is the best roster in the NFL outside of Philadelphia. It’s offensive line is going to be top three. Lamar is coming off of arguably his best season in the NFL. Their perimeter players are fantastic.”
Still, while confidence in the Ravens’ locker room is high, ESPN’s cautious take is not baseless. Baltimore has come close before. With Lamar Jackson‘s peak form and a balanced roster, the team must now prove that the regular season dominance can finally carry over to the postseason.
Will Lamar Jackson rise from the playoff ashes?
Since entering the league in 2018, Lamar Jackson has been one of the most talked-about quarterbacks in football. Among all qualifying passers, only Patrick Mahomes holds a better quarterback rating. In terms of wins, only Mahomes and Allen have racked up more. As a rusher, Jackson is in a league of his own. His 6,173 career rushing yards blow away every other quarterback in league history since he took the field.
Yet for all his stats, CBS has pointed to one critical gap—postseason success. Josh Allen has 7 playoff wins and 2 conference title games. Joe Burrow has 5 wins, 2 title game appearances, and a Super Bowl appearance. Jackson, in contrast, has only 3 playoff wins and one conference championship showing. Mahomes? He has a banger 17 wins under his belt. That postseason resume is what keeps him out of many elite debates, a cut above.
Jackson, however, isn’t letting it get to him. Responding to the talk, he said, “I mean, I’m motivating myself because I know what I want to do at the end of the day. Those guys have their time. I really don’t care what the criticism is, what the critics say, because at the end of the day, I just came off a season-ending injury the year before, and we made it all the way to the AFC [Championship Game] in a new system.”
The Ravens clearly believe the time is now. They extended John Harbaugh. They brought in Derrick Henry and DeAndre Hopkins. This offseason, they wasted no time placing a bet on Jaire Alexander. This is not a rebuild—it is a Super Bowl-or-bust mission hinging hopes on new faces. Jackson’s decision to skip voluntary OTAs raised eyebrows, especially with a $750K loss. But Harbaugh stood by his QB, saying, “He played fantastic… I’m not judging it.”
Baltimore is all-in. The pieces are set. For Jackson, only one thing remains—delivering when the lights shine brightest.
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