The Heisman Trophy that Lamar Jackson earned as a 19-year-old and the 119 touchdowns he produced at Louisville don't carry any weight at his first NFL training camp.
Just like all the other Baltimore Ravens rookies
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And he's totally fine with it.
"It feels good just being out here with NFL talent," Jackson said. "It's not college or high school anymore. You're a grown man. You have to show up and show out."
Jackson played well at minicamp in the spring, and the first-round pick continues to impress this summer. He's not about to unseat 10-year veteran Joe Flacco, who's assured the starting job, but the fleet-footed newcomer has turned more than a few heads with his ability to escape a collapsing pocket and sprint downfield.
"He likes to run, very fast," Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "He's very exciting, a young talent, and he approaches the game with the kind of requirement that quarterbacks are held to in this league. He could have a promising career."
At Louisville, Jackson did it all. He threw 69 touchdown passes and ran for 50 scores before opting to toss his name into the draft after completing a junior season in which he was named a Heisman Trophy finalist for the second year in a row.
Known more for his legs than his arm, the 6-foot-2 Jackson was on the brink of dropping from the first round before the Ravens worked a trade with Philadelphia and nabbed him with the 32nd overall pick.
Eager to blunt any notion that Jackson would compete for the starting job, coach John Harbaugh immediately stressed the job belongs to Flacco. There's veteran quarterback Robert Griffin III to contend with
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"I'm still learning," the 21-year-old acknowledged. "Everything they do, I'm trying to mimic."
Jackson, however, has his own special skills. The Ravens know it would be foolish to keep him on the bench, so they're trying to find creative ways to work him into the offense. At a recent practice, he threw a pass to Flacco, who lined up as a receiver.
"We're going to see what everybody's strengths are," offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said. "We'll try to use all of our players that are eligible, we'll try to use the whole field
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Jackson has impressed his teammates and the coaching staff with his athleticism and willingness to work.
"I'll tell you what, Lamar's done just an outstanding job," Mornhinweg said. "Everybody in this league has some uncommon tools, and he certainly does. You can see on the practice field. He's way ahead of the curve now."
The next step for Jackson 鈥?and by far the most significant thus far 鈥?is going up against outside competition. Come Thursday night, in the Hall of Fame Game against the Chicago Bears, it will be time to see what he's got.
"I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I have to show them my talent in the preseason games."
It may not be pretty. There might even be an interception or two. Not that it matters.
"With a young player, I don't think you expect perfection," Harbaugh said, "but he looks pretty good out there to me."
The Atlanta Falcons will open their mandatory minicamp without Julio Jones, one of their most important playmakers.
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said the team was informed Monday that Jones will not be present when the three-day minicamp opens on Tuesday.
Jones, under contract through 2020
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”We have been in contact with Julio and his representation,” Dimitroff said in a statement released by the team.
”We will not discuss those conversations publicly except to say we feel they have been productive and constructive. We understand the concerns and thoughts from their perspective. Although not ideal, Julio informed us today he would not be attending minicamp.
”We have much respect for him and what he means to our team, our city and our fans.”
Jones’ absence is a big surprise. Before Monday, coach Dan Quinn and others had said they were confident Jones would attend the minicamp despite missing the voluntary offseason program.
Jones, 29, still has three seasons remaining on his five-year, $71.3 million deal with $47 million in guaranteed money. He is due to earn $10.5 million this season, $12.5 million in 2019 and $11.4 million in 2020.
Jones’ salary cap figure of $12.9 million for 2018 ranks seventh among NFL receivers, well behind recent deals signed by Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans ($18.252 million in 2018) and Cleveland’s Jarvis Landry ($15.5 million).
Jones’ holdout comes in a summer the Falcons made quarterback Matt Ryan the NFL’s highest-paid player. Ryan’s new deal could average out to as much as $30 million annually over five seasons.
Jones’ value to the team is unquestioned. He earned his fourth straight Pro Bowl berth, and fifth overall, in 2017
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Jones had only three touchdown catches last season as the Falcons’ offense failed to match the standards set in 2016, when Atlanta led the league in scoring and advanced to the Super Bowl.
Jones’ absence in the minicamp will leave more opportunity for another former Alabama receiver, rookie Calvin Ridley, to have more work with Ryan. Ridley, a first-round pick, is expected to earn a role behind Jones and Mohamed Sanu on the depth chart.
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