“Lamar Is Completely Different”: Former Ravens Star Puts Lamar Jackson Ahead of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed as Contract Talks Continue to Go South

Baltimore has a rich history of producing some of the greatest athletes in sports. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and Cal Ripken are just some of the names that come to mind when discussing sports legends from the city. However, former Ravens WR Torrey Smith believes that there is a new king in town, Lamar Jackson. The Ravens drafted Torrey Smith in the 2011 draft. He knows the city of Baltimore better than most, especially since the WR was integral to the Ravens’ 2013 Super Bowl win.

He would land with the Philadelphia Eagles and earn his 2nd Super Bowl Championship alongside the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles. It certainly suffices to say, that Torrey Smith has seen his fair share of success. So when he talks about the town’s culture, you know he means it.

Lamar Jackson was hailed as the best one out of Baltimore

For Torrey Smith, Lamar Jackson might be the best athlete ever to step foot in the city of Baltimore. Smith made some bold statements about Jackson’s status in Baltimore sports history. He called the young QB the biggest sports figure to ever play in Baltimore. This claim may seem outlandish to some, but Smith has some compelling arguments to back it up.

First and foremost, Jackson is a QB, a position that holds more weight in today’s NFL than ever before. QBs are often the face of their franchises and are held to a higher standard than other players. But above all, with the advent of social media, athletes are now more connected to their fans than ever before. 

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“I know Ray and Ed are the GOATs literally at their position, but they weren’t quarterbacks, they weren’t a quarterback. Lamar is completely different. Completely different era. Social Media. The power of all of that,” Torrey said. 

Lamar Jackson’a place at the pantheon of Baltimore legends

It’s impossible to talk about sports legends in Baltimore without mentioning Cal Ripken. The former Orioles shortstop is one of the most beloved figures in the city’s history, and he holds a special place in the hearts of many fans. Even then, we’re just getting started. The city of Baltimore has a rich sports culture, and many legends have appeared for franchises across the ‘Charmed City’. 

With other legends like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed also in contention, Lamar surely has a long shot to be the greatest ever to step foot in Baltimore city. Especially with Jackson’s ongoing trade debacle, his future in the city remains uncertain. To stake a claim at the podium, Lamar would certainly hope to play out a significant chunk of his career in the city that embraced him on draft night. If that actually pans out, however, is an entirely different story.

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