Lamar Jackson, Ravens Fully Committed To Winning Football

The Baltimore Ravens enter the 2023 NFL season with a large weight off their shoulders after finally coming to terms with star quarterback Lamar Jackson on a five-year, $260 million deal with $185 million of it being guaranteed.

With their biggest objective this offseason secure, both Jackson and the Ravens are keeping their sights firmly set on having a big season on the field for at least the next five years.

During yesterday's press conference, Jackson was asked about his tweet asking for a trade away from the Ravens in March and the quarterback made it known that it is now just water under the bridge.

"Today, we're going to keep it about the future. I'm not really worried about what happened in the past; we're going to keep it about these next five years and keep it about what's going on today. It's a great day. A great day; I just signed with the guys up here. That's all I'm focused on right now," Jackson said.

General manager Eric DeCosta echoed the 2019 unanimous NFL MVP's comments and gave props to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti for allowing him and the rest of the front office room to work without getting too involved in the processes.

As it has become a tradition in Baltimore, the 2023 NFL draft allowed the two-time Super Bowl-winning franchise to shine and they could not have done any better than selecting Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers with the 22nd overall pick.

While "Zay Bouquet" would be the only addition they have to the group that many fans have been pointing to as their biggest weakness throughout its history, they need not do anything else after adding Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr. via free agency.

With a lineup featuring the pair of vets and young guns like Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay quickly finding their footing, Jackson made it known that one of his goals this season is to just fire the ball down the field.

"I think I told someone, 'I want to throw for like 6,000 yards with the weapons we have.' I'm not an individual award type of guy or stat watcher, I just want to do that because no one's ever done it," Jackson said.

"I feel like we have the weapons to do it. We have explosive guys."

The Ravens received overwhelmingly positive grades in the fallout of the draft and while success in the draft does not exactly correlate to winning the Super Bowl, a rejuvenated Jackson is raring to go through the process in Baltimore.

Head coach John Harbaugh was also asked about the additions to the franchise and while the run-happy Ravens are shifting towards a more well-balanced attack not seen since their Super Bowl run in 2013, Harbaugh is more than happy to allow Jackson free reign on the field.

"I tell him all the time. I said, 'You play like you play. You have a unique style because you are so unique...' I think Lamar [Jackson] is unique in the way he sees the field. He sees it in a snapshot. He doesn't necessarily see it in a connect-the-dots progression. He takes a big-picture view of the field," Harbaugh stated.

"You trust that as a coach, and you allow – you don't let – you encourage him to play the way he plays."

Throughout the whole press conference, there was a renewed sense of motivation to go after a third Lombardi trophy and if all things fall into place, it would not be a surprise to see them in the Super Bowl in the coming years.

The full press conference can be viewed here.