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Bleacher Report names Ravens' most improved player in 2021 so far

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With 10 weeks now gone during the 2021 regular season, there are a lot of assessments that can be made about certain players, coaches, and organizations in regards to how the year has played out so far. There have been pleasant surprises, big disappointments, and both positive as well as negative things to take away.

Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report identified each NFL team’s most improved player during the 2021 season as it stands right now, and for Baltimore he picked a very well known face in quarterback Lamar Jackson. When explaining his decision, Knox mentioned the strides that the quarterback has shown in the passing department so far.

“The Baltimore Ravens signal-caller, the MVP in 2019, has made significant strides in the passing department. Yes, he had a down game against the Miami Dolphins in Week 10, but he’s also on pace for a career-high 4,622 passing yards.”

Knox also talks about Jackson’s efficiency, as well as how he also remains one of the NFL’s most dangerous runners.

“A higher volume hasn’t led to diminished returns either. Jackson is still completing passes at a 64.4 percent clip—the same as last season—and continues to be one of the game’s most dangerous ball carriers at any position…He’ll have an extra game with which to work, but Jackson is on pace for 1,207 rushing yards. That would narrowly beat the single-season record for a quarterback—one he set with 1,206 rushing yards in 2019.”

Picking Jackson for the Ravens’ most improved player might come as a shock to some, considering how big of a name he is and the production he’s put up during his time in the league. While there are a few other players who could deserve the honor such as wide receiver Marquise Brown, cornerback Anthony Averett or safety Chuck Clark, Jackson has shown that he’s once again expanded his game and made massive strides in multiple areas.

The quarterback has thrown for 2,447 yards in nine games, averaging 342.9 passing yards per contest. He looks a lot more poised and collected in the pocket this season, showing his confidence week in and week out. He believes in himself, and that has translated over to the football field.

As Jackson keeps growing, he will continue to show how good of a player he is. There’s no doubt that the signal caller has taken a big leap in his fourth season, and he’ll look to get even better as the 2021 season progresses.