Sean Payton was on ESPN’s “Manningcast” this Monday to discuss the Ravens-Saints game. While on the broadcast, he made a very interesting comment about Lamar Jackson.
When asked what stands out about Jackson’s skillset, Payton said, “Well, the No. 1 thing is, I have a chance to be free agent, and he has a chance to be a free agent — I would say that first.”
Payton stepped down from his role as the head coach of the Saints this past January. He’s expected to return to the NFL at some point in the future.
We’d imagine Payton will want to coach a team that already has a franchise quarterback like Jackson on its roster.
Payton raved about Jackson’s development since entering the league in 2018.
“On a serious note, I think we’ve seen him get the ball down field. I feel like every weekend we see great, vertical passing game by him. He’s made some throws tonight, he’s missed a couple he’s been frustrated with. Man, he’s explosive,” Payton told the Manning brothers. “I think he’s become a better down-the-field thrower, partly because the game he’s playing now is a little different from what he was playing in college. When you watch him here, the late nights — this guy, he just drives me crazy, trying to come up with a defensive scheme to gameplan for him.”
Jackson’s rookie contract with the Ravens will expire at the end of this season.
If Jackson hits the open market, there will most likely be a bidding war for his services. However, the Ravens could avoid that by using the franchise tag.