After losing more games than he ever has in his NFL career (five) a year ago, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is doing his best to ensure he never misses the playoffs again. While NFL fans know that’s easier said than done, last year was the first that Jackson didn’t get to take part in the postseason.
Clearly, he’s been using those shortcomings as fuel this offseason.
Lamar Jackson’s build is noticeably different heading into 2022
This is a common offseason theme. It doesn’t matter the sport; we always hear about how an athlete is in the ‘best shape of their lives’ heading into the season. Then the year begins and everything is forgotten, since performance is what matters most.
But in Lamar Jackson’s case, his added bulk is actually visible.
Though Jackson’s listed weight on Pro Football Reference comes in at 212 pounds, the QB actually says he went from 205 up to 220 pounds over the offseason. He says he’s typically in the 205-to-208-pound range when he suits up for the gridiron, so this is a fairly significant jump.
Jackson said it was all possible thanks to his personal trainer, Emonee Spence, with whom he worked with in South Florida during the summer.
“I just wanted to do it, see how it looks and see how it feels. And I feel good,” Jackson said.
With Jackson missing five games last season as he dealt with a right ankle injury, perhaps this refined strength can help him stay on the field, for a full 17-game season, something he’s yet to do.
But that’s not all. Jackson’s also been working with a passing mechanics guru, thanks to 3DQB’s Adam Dedeaux. Jackson now feels he has a tighter throwing motion, which should help him on game day, when he needs to fit a pass into a narrow window.
Can all of these refinements lead to a better Jackson this fall? We’ve seen MVP-level performances from the exhilarating QB in the past, maybe these adjustments can put him back on that path.
Related: NFL MVP odds 2022-23: Betting favorites point to someone other than Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady