“Lamar Jackson is going to become, be known, and be recognized as the greatest quarterback ever to play in the history of the NFL!” Not us making the claim. The Baltimore Ravens’ HC John Harbaugh echoed this vision on the first day of the training camp. Harbaugh’s got his QB’s back like an offensive lineman, defending his MVP star against criticisms saying he failed to punch the ticket to the SB last season. It’s sweet for the chemistry. But this retired NFL vet believes this is what Lamar NEEDS to do!

Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on July 22nd, former Eagles’ CB Herm Edwards was hit with this question: “Can Lamar follow up his second MVP season with a first Super Bowl appearance in 2024?” Edwards fired back with the enthusiasm of a coach on game day. “Well, he needs to,” he said. But why? “When you think about his playoff record, it is, now, suddenly two and four. In the last six playoff games, four of those times, this offense didn’t score over 20 points,” he added.

If we put things into perspective, a couple of things stand out. For Harbaugh’s vision to become a reality, Lamar has a mountain to scale, not just a hill. Especially when the Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is closer to dethroning Tom Brady from the summit of the ‘greatest QBs’.

So, where does the Ravens’ signal-caller stand in the pecking order?

While Mahomes is an outright winner in this showdown of the QBs, Lamar’s not exactly warming the bench. At 27, he’s in the history book as the youngest two-time NFL MVP, while flaunting a second-best regular-season record since 2018. Does this mean the Ravens’ coach’s vision is far-fetched?

This is where Edwards’ take comes into the picture. With the team’s offense hanging on his every move, Lamar Jackson has had a rocky road in the postseason, losing four out of six playoff games. In last season’s 17-10 loss to the Chiefs in the AFC Championship, he completed just 54% of his passes and threw two crucial turnovers. As expected, it proved costly for the Ravens.

Despite this, Edwards is putting his chips on the 27-year-old QB to read the play and up his game, especially with Coach Harbaugh’s backing. The 2024 season is shaping up to be a big one, but the playbook will be the real game-changer. “How they use him in the offensive line will be crucial,” the former Jets and Chiefs coach concluded.

However, while there are discussions about putting Lamar on the list of great QBs and short-term goals, there is an ex-NFL guard who believes he is mediocre.