Lamar drops weight in effort to 'be more agile'

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The biggest change in Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson since he won his second NFL Most Valuable Player award is there’s less of him.

Jackson indicated that he has dropped weight this offseason to “be more agile.”

Earlier this month, Jackson said he weighed 205 pounds, which is 25 pounds less than his 2022 weight and 10 pounds less than last season. On Wednesday, Jackson declined to specify his exact weight.

“I don’t really know how many pounds I lost,” Jackson said after Baltimore’s second OTA practice. “I’m like two-something [hundred 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.”

Jackson, 27, is the most prolific running quarterback in the NFL, gaining 5,258 yards in his first six seasons in the league — 1,399 more rushing yards than any other quarterback has. He led the NFL by averaging 5.5 yards per carry last season, but that was his lowest in any full season. Jackson’s four runs of 20-plus yards last season also was the fewest of his career.

Asked for the reason for the weight loss, Jackson replied: “Just so I can be more agile and be able to move more.”

In terms of speed, Jackson recorded nine runs in his first three seasons in which he reached a maximum speed of 20 mph or faster. In his past three seasons, he has managed just one run where he hit a max speed of 20mph, and that one didn’t happen last season.

Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers noticed the difference in Jackson immediately when he first saw him this offseason, calling him “skinny.” Coach John Harbaugh said he isn’t worried about Jackson’s weight loss.

“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 and he’s working toward.”

After Jackson took a career-worst 38 sacks in 2021, he bulked up to 230 pounds the next season. He was down to 215 pounds last season before shedding more weight this offseason.

Jackson said he couldn’t remember the last time he has felt this elusive.

“It’s been so long,” Jackson said. “We had COVID that happened to us; it slowed us down a little, but I feel great right now. I feel great.”

Jackson doesn’t feel that the weight loss will impact how he takes hits.

“We sacrifice our body each and every game [and] practices,” he said. “I believe it really doesn’t matter about the weight.”