OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Lamar Jackson trotted through a group of reporters to a microphone Thursday and said he felt wonderful. He explained with a grin that he was happy to return to football practice and spend time with his Baltimore Ravens teammates, that the season ahead brought promise.
But the 22-year-old quarterback also revealed a few things that nagged at the back of his mind.
Chief among them? Through three sessions of organized team activities, Jackson struggled to throw passes with a tight spiral, instead watching the ball come out of his hand with a slight wobble. The issue is partly harmless cosmetics. A pass can look shaky and still arrive at its intended target.
Still, spirals improve accuracy and make balls easier to catch, which leaves Jackson frustrated with his wobble. He said he hopes to rectify the problem by adjusting his grip.
“My hand will be a little too high on the football sometimes and that will make the ball go out of whack sometimes,” Jackson said, before amending his statement.
“A lot, not sometimes.”
Personal critiques are not new for Jackson. He’s routinely accepted blame for missteps since he arrived in Baltimore as a first-round rookie last spring, and that hasn’t changed now that he’s the team’s unquestioned starter. In news conferences, Jackson more often mentions errant throws or interceptions than long runs or touchdown passes.
The 22-year-old face of the Ravens took that mindset into this pivotal offseason. He wants to throw a more consistent spiral, make better decisions and tweak his throwing mechanics so he can improve upon his 58.2 percent completion rate from last season.
He’s seen gains in some areas. Jackson threw passes during Thursday’s practice — the third session of organized team activities — with eye-opening velocity, perhaps because he’s developed the habit of twisting his front hip quickly in his throwing motion, like quarterbacks coach James Urban preaches.
Jackson’s also spent the offseason working to keep his feet wider in the pocket so he can stay balanced and throw more accurate passes.
“From watching film and stuff like that, I see my hip is firing,” Jackson said. “Coach always wants me to fire my hip, fire my hip. And keeping a wide base, that’s showing up a lot on film.”
Skeptics of Jackson’s talents as a passer remain vocal as he works to alter his fundamentals. They question whether the speedy QB has the chops to make the type of throws that scare a defense or whether Jackson can beat a team that stifles the ground game.
Running back Mark Ingram, who joined the Ravens this offseason as a free agent, said Jackson can prove those doubters wrong.
“He can throw it,” Ingram said. “I’ve seen him make a lot of tight throws in tight windows. I’ve seen him make some deep throws. I’ve seen him go through his progressions and make check downs, hit guys in second windows in zones. He’s making his reads, he’s getting better.”
In a self-evaluation, Jackson laid out a more sobering assessment than the one his new teammate gave. He’s still trying to iron out that wobble, among other things, and isn’t ready to award himself a top grade after three practices.
“My first day, I sucked. Second day I did better,” Jackson said. “Today was all right, but it could have been better. I’m always trying to be perfect in practice. So, yeah, it was all right for the first week.”
Aaron Kasinitz covers the Baltimore Ravens for PennLive and can be reached at akasinitz@pennlive.com or on Twitter @AaronKazreports. Follow PennLive’s Ravens coverage on Facebook and Youtube.