Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson, the most prolific running quarterback in the league, aims to make it even tougher on opposing defenses this coming season.
Coming off his second NFL Most Valuable Player award, Jackson has lost weight and appears slimmer at the team’s OTAs this week. Though he didn’t reveal his exact weight Wednesday, saying it was “two something,” Jackson had said in a video posted by Complex Sports last week that he was at 205 pounds.
He was 230 pounds in 2022 and 215 last season, when he passed for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns, and rushed for 821 yards and five scores in leading the Ravens to a 13-3 record in 16 regular-season starts.
“I don’t really know how many pounds I lost,” said Jackson, 27. “I’m like two-something (pounds) right now. But I (will) just say it was important enough to be able to move around a little bit extra, that’s all.”
The 6-foot-2 Jackson said he lost weight “just so I can be more agile and be able to move more.”
Jackson said he feels great at the lighter weight and as elusive as he’s felt in years. He doesn’t believe it will diminish his ability to take the physical pounding at his position — particularly for running QBs.
“We sacrifice our body each and every game (and) practices,” he said. “I believe it really doesn’t matter about the weight.”
His coach, John Harbaugh, doesn’t sound concerned about a lighter — and faster–Jackson.
“I think that’s Lamar, he’s a pro,” Harbaugh said. “He knows what he’s doing. He knows where he wants to be with that. My concern is that he is in shape, best shape of his life.”
A three-time Pro Bowl selection and first-team All-Pro in 2019 and 2023, Jackson has passed for 15,887 yards and 125 TDs and rushed for 5,258 yards and 29 scores in 86 games (77 starts) since the Ravens selected him 32nd overall in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Louisville.
–Field Level Media