Just one more day until the start of the football preseason and the one player I am most excited about watching is rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson. He can run and he can throw. In fact, he did those things so well that he won the Heisman Trophy at Louisville two seasons ago.
During the NFL combine, unfortunately, there were some who wanted Jackson to exhibit his skills as a potential wide receiver because of his athletic ability. That suggestion also carried some racial overtones harkening back to the pre-Warren Moon days when the African American quarterback did not exist. That was sad but Jackson stuck to his guns and said he is here to play quarterback. Period.
Now Jackson is on a team with a Super Bowl winning quarterback in Joe Flacco. Flacco appears to be nearing the end of his career. Also on the team is Robert Griffin III, ironically, a quarterback once labeled as a running quarterback. Unfortunately, his running style nearly ended his career with a severe leg injury. He has been out of the league for years and is attempting one more comeback.
Lamar Jackson, however, has nothing but upside potential. He is chomping at the bit, wanting to prove to the world that he is an NFL-caliber quarterback. And I am chomping at the bit to watch him.
Written by Craig Shemon