Ravens’ New Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle Eager to Collaborate with Lamar Jackson

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — New Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle expressed his enthusiasm for building an offense around quarterback Lamar Jackson, though the timeline for their collaboration remains uncertain. Doyle emphasized the importance of player participation in the voluntary offseason program, which begins April 6, with on-field workouts starting in May.

Jackson’s Past Offseason Attendance

Lamar Jackson has historically limited his participation in voluntary workouts. Last spring, he did not attend eight of the nine on-field practices.

Doyle’s Expectations for Player Involvement

During his introductory news conference, Doyle stated, “We would expect them to be here and certainly it is voluntary. But too, if you want to say that you’re going to win a championship, you want to say that you have championship standards and those are your goals and your expectations, certainly that’s going to take work. That’s going to take collaboration, that’s going to take the beginning of building the relationship with their coaches [and] other players, starting off this next regime on the right foot.”

Contract Negotiations and Potential Impact

The Ravens’ priority is to reduce Jackson’s $74.5 million salary cap number, the second-highest in the NFL. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti has indicated the team aims to finalize a new contract with Jackson before the start of free agency in mid-March. The outcome of these negotiations could influence Jackson’s availability during the spring program.

Building a Rapport with Jackson

Doyle has already engaged in several conversations with Jackson, including an hour-long video call during the interview process and subsequent meetings, including text message exchanges. He has been impressed by Jackson’s receptiveness and desire for improvement.

Jackson’s Growth Mindset

“He’s a guy with a growth mindset that he’s played at a really high level and still wants to continue to work and feels like he can get better,” Doyle said. “And so me and the rest of the staff are really excited to chase that with him.”

Doyle’s Vision for the Offense

This will be Doyle’s first opportunity as an offensive playcaller, having previously served as the offensive coordinator for the Chicago Bears, where head coach Ben Johnson called the plays. Doyle believes Jackson has a “higher ceiling” and wants to improve Jackson’s consistency on initial play calls before improvising. He noted Jackson’s ability to “position the cape on and go be Superman” when a play breaks down, drawing a parallel to Caleb Williams’ skillset in Chicago.

Jackson’s Impressive Career Stats

Jackson, 29, is among the NFL’s elite dual-threat quarterbacks, currently tied for the best career passer rating (102.2) and holding the record for most rushing yards by a quarterback (6,522).