Part backup quarterback and part mentor, Griffin has watched nearly every pass that Jackson has thrown since Jackson joined the Baltimore Ravens as a first-round pick last season. He believes completion rate is one of the biggest areas where Jackson will improve.
“With Lamar, I equate inaccuracy with just knowing, experiencing and feeling the way the game is played at the NFL level,” Griffin said. “Some guys are just inaccurate. They have a strong arm and they can’t hit a target. But Lamar can. He is an accurate quarterback. We’ve seen it in practice. We’ve seen it all throughout training camp. It’s just when the game comes and things are happening a little faster, it’s just about knowing and feeling it out. From Year 1 to Year 2, I would not expect his completion percentage to be 58 percent. But that just comes with playing.”nike nfl jerseys for cheap
Accuracy has long been a question mark with Jackson, who connected on less than 60 percent of his passes in each of his three seasons at Louisville and finished with a 58.2 percent completion rate in his first season in the NFL. As a rookie, Jackson delivered strikes — like when he hit tight end Mark Andrews in stride for a 68-yard touchdown in Los Angeles against the Chargers — but he also thew routine passes in the flat into the dirt and had other throws sail over the heads of open receivers downfield.
Some quarterbacks have gone from sporadic throwers in college to more precise passers in the NFL. Brett Favre, Carson Palmer, Matthew Stafford and Matt Ryan all completed less than 60 percent of their college passes and went on to produce completion rates over 62 percent in the NFL.nike nfl jerseys cheap paypal
Other quarterbacks, specifically the ones that Jackson has often drawn comparisons with, have failed to fine-tune their accuracy. Michael Vick completed 56 percent of his passes at Virginia Tech and ended with a 56.2 percent completion rate in the NFL. Colin Kaepernick hit 58.2 percent of his targets at Nevada and connected on 59.8 percent of his passes with the San Francisco 49ers.
Griffin expects Jackson’s efficiency to grow along with his comfort level. When Jackson sees a coverage or a blitz, he won’t overthink the situation like a rookie and will instinctively know where to throw the ball because of experience.
The biggest difference this offseason will be Jackson’s snaps. Last year, Jackson watched as Joe Flacco directed the first-team offense in the spring and summer. With Flacco reportedly traded to the Denver Broncos, there will be more opportunities for Jackson to work on his throwing mechanics and footwork.
“His development in the passing game will naturally come,” Griffin said. “This offseason, he’s going to be QB1. He’s going to get most of the reps. He’s going to lead the offense. All of the things that he might have struggled with as a rookie, he’s naturally going to get better at them. He doesn’t have to press to say, ‘Oh my god, I have to get better at this right now.’ It’s honestly not his personality to do that anyway. Just by repetition and by work, he’s going to get better in those areas. He’ll continue to build the trust amongst players, coaches and then ultimately the fans as they see him continue to develop.”