Lamar Jackson still has some work to do to be considered a top-10 NFL player, at least to CBS's Pete Prisco.
In a new top-100 player rankings by Prisco, Jackson, the reigning MVP, landed at No. 16. That's a 19-spot jump from where Prisco had him last season (35), but still behind quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow.
Prisco wrote of Jackson:
"He won his second MVP last season, but the next step is getting his team to the Super Bowl. He has improved greatly as a passer, which should continue this season in Year 2 under OC Todd Monken."
As Prisco notes, Jackson won a second MVP in five seasons and posted his best season as a passer for a Baltimore Ravens team that went 13-4 and made it to the AFC Championship game.
While Jackson's playoff record has subjected him to criticism, it is a tad surprising to see him fall below Allen and Burrow. Allen has had great regular seasons but also has not gotten over the hump in the playoffs. Burrow is coming off a season in which he played just 10 games because of injury and posted substandard numbers in those games.
(Even the most bullish Ravens fans would likely not argue that Jackson is better than Mahomes).
Jackson is trying to take his game to another level by taking even further control of the Ravens offense. Among his new responsibilities this season will be calling more audibles at the line of scrimmage and even using cadence to throw off defenses. It's a level of sophistication that Jackson has not yet shown consistently in the NFL.
Still, the story of Jackson's season will likely come down to what he does in the playoffs. With a strong postseason showing, perhaps he can crack Prisco's top 10.
