Few quarterbacks scare defenses like Lamar Jackson. His ability to escape pressure and turn broken plays into big gains makes him special. But last season,  injury slowed him down, and he took 36 sacks. Former Baltimore Ravens icon Terrell Suggs elaborated on how the team should take care of Jackson better this year.

“He was literally carrying the team on one leg,” Suggs said on Perk Unplugged. “A dangerous attribute of his game is his legs. So you telling a quarterback that’s known for getting himself out of trouble, being able to extend plays, not being able to do that. Like he took a lot of unnecessary hits and unnecessary sacks because he couldn’t run. You know what I mean?  And he couldn’t, like, extend the play, get himself out of trouble.”

Lamar Jackson’s hamstring injury slowed him down. Before the injury, he averaged 41.5 rushing yards per game. After he came back, those numbers dropped to 20 rushing yards per game, Jackson’s lowest numbers in this stat.

According to Pro Football Focus, he was partly responsible for 30% of the pressures he faced. He also took a sack on 26% of his pressured dropbacks.

The number is an unfortunate inclusion in Jackson’s record, who is known for his scrambling skills. During the Ravens’ 38-6 win over the Detroit Lions in 2023, the Lions’ pass rush forced him out of the pocket. But instead of taking a sack, Jackson escaped the pressure and kept the play going. He scrambled around for 9.24 seconds, covered about 25 yards behind the line of scrimmage, and finally spotted Nelson Agholor for a 12-yard touchdown pass.

Entering the 2026 season, Lamar Jackson looks healthy now. To get the Baltimore offense going, it is also imperative that new head coach Jesse Minter utilizes Jackson’s special skill. However, he also has to ensure others in the offense come through for the quarterback, which affected their results.

“Of course, the quarterback position is the most important position on the field,” Suggs said. “What’s the number two now? Receivers. 

“You have to have specialty players. Basically the way the game’s going now,  you got to have like three number one receivers because of the volume that they’re throwing the ball.

The Ravens do have talent around Lamar Jackson. Zay Flowers leads the wide receiver group after making the Pro Bowl in back-to-back seasons. But as of now, Flowers is the only dependable WR in the receiving corps. Rashod Bateman is back after missing time for a knee injury last season, while Devontez Walker and LaJohntay Wester will most likely be depth pieces.

Lamar Jackson is building good chemistry with both his veteran and rookie receivers in training camp. He has quickly developed trust with rookies Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt while continuing to lean on Pro Bowl receiver Zay Flowers. How the passing attack gels together with Jackson this season will be a defining marker of the team’s success.