It’s a risky move to call out a two-time MVP, and ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky learned that the hard way after Lamar Jackson flipped the narrative upside down. On one recent episode of ESPN’s First Take, Orlovsky stressed why Jackson’s showing up for the Baltimore Ravens’ first voluntary offseason session mattered, especially with changes around the team.

When Lamar Jackson made his way to the Ravens’ first offseason OTA, the ESPN analyst was forced to walk back his earlier stance. Orlovsky also posted the same sentiment later on X, confirming his renewed stance on the quarterback.

“I love the fact that he’s there. All of it’s new; the face of their franchise is there. I think it matters,” Orlovsky said about Lamar Jackson showing up for OTAs under new head coach Jesse Minter. On X, he posted, “I love that Lamar is there; it matters with all the newness.”

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However, Orlovsky’s sudden change of heart doesn’t change what he said of the Ravens’ quarterback earlier, when he sounded far less convinced about Lamar joining the first voluntary offseason session.

“I’m not going to overreact to him not being there,” Orlovsky said of Jackson while assuming that the QB will skip joining. “Maybe he gets there in the next day or two, but it certainly sounds like that’s not going to be the case.”

Baltimore’s offseason program started on Monday, April 6, with the on-field practices starting in May. The team’s mandatory minicamp is scheduled for June 9 through June 11.

Now, this isn’t the first time that the ESPN analyst has gone after the Ravens QB. In 2025, Orlovsky didn’t include the quarterback on his MVP ballot even though he still recognized him as an All-Pro.

“The Bills didn’t have an elite defense. The Bills had a very good run game, not a great run game. They didn’t have elite perimeter players in any regard. The way that Josh played this season, and the different style that he played, brought tremendous value to their football team,” Orlovsky said after he confirmed voting for Allen instead of Jackson.

Orlovsky’s take against Jackson didn’t go well with Ravens fans at the time. During the second half of Saturday’s regular-season finale against the Browns in Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium, the crowd started chanting M-V-P on Jackson’s second touchdown pass of the game.

“It’s an 18-point margin here,” Fowler said. “And the M-V-P chants very much echoing through the stadium.”

At one point, the ESPN analyst thought that the chants were aimed at him. “I feel they’re very much so directed at the booth right now,” he said.

However, Orlovsky was not completely off base, going by history. Jackson skipped eight of nine voluntary sessions last year, so expecting another absence was not unreasonable.

Lamar Jackson fulfills Jesse Minter’s wish

Previously, Baltimore Ravens head coach Jesse Minter had expressed uncertainty about whether Lamar Jackson would attend the OTAs,

“I know Lamar’s excited. I think he is excited about some of the changes,” Minter said Tuesday at the NFL league meeting. “We’ve had a lot of good connection points, but the offseason program is voluntary. We’re excited to get a chance to work with all the guys, whoever wants to show up. We feel confident that a lot of guys will be there.”

When he was further pressed about Jackson’s presence, he mentioned that the QB was excited about the opportunities, noting, “I think he’s excited about opportunities in the offseason program. And again, we’ll see on April 6th. We’ll see who all walks in the door.”

Analysts were also quick to note that the quarterback’s presence in the building does more than just get him in shape; it leads the entire locker room. One analyst highlighted that this was the perfect opportunity for Jackson to take charge and lead by example.

“If you’re the highest-paid player on the team, installing a new offense, and you got a new contract,” former defensive tackle Booger McFarland said on NFL on ESPN. “I think a lot of teammates are going to expect Lamar to be there the majority of the time.”

Having played in the league himself, he pointed out that arriving early really communicates something to the whole team. Jackson, who has won MVP twice, has earned that respect over time.

Former NFL defensive lineman Chris Canty agreed, remarking that the face of the franchise arriving early eliminates any excuses for the rest of the roster.

“Him being here the first day sets the tempo for everyone in the organization,” Canty noted.

Now, by being there from day one under Minter, Lamar Jackson gives the Ravens a real chance to build rhythm early and strengthen that connection heading into the new season.