Pittsburgh Steelers Cam Heyward questions ‘different’ Baltimore Ravens offense under Todd Monken
It has been a strong offseason so far for the Baltimore Ravens. They added a trio of talented receivers to strengthen the offense, signing veterans Nelson Agholor and Odell Beckham Jr., and landing Zay Flowers in the first round of the draft.
They also managed to keep quarterback Lamar Jackson in town on a record-breaking new deal. However, perhaps the most important move didn’t concern any player moves but rather a coach hiring after they brought in Todd Monken as offensive coordinator.
Cam Heyward raises questions about the Ravens offense
The hire of Monken has fans and analysts both buzzing about what it means for Baltimore’s offense - more specifically Jackson and the passing game. So much so that even division rival Cam Heyward of the Pittsburgh Steelers spoke about his curiosity about how the Ravens offense will look on The 3 & Out Podcast.
“They had a recipe for success and they were doing it without Lamar for half the year,” Heyward said. “It’s going to be different for them, but I’m wondering if there’s going to have to be a mixture of both.”
“Whether it’s staying on the same page as you had last year, or adding some things, adding some wrinkles, because that running game is second to none.”
What will the Baltimore Ravens do with the team’s running game?
Jackson, of course, has shown his efficiency in the passing game before even with the criticism he faces. In his MVP-winning season in 2019, he threw for 3,127 yards with 36 touchdowns and six interceptions, completing 66.1 percent of his passes.
That being said, even with Monken adjusting the offense it shouldn’t be anticipated that the Ravens will completely abandon the run game - especially with Jackson running the show. Just last season they averaged 160 yards per game on the ground.
There is no doubt reason to be curious about how a new offensive system will impact Jackson, whether that be in a positive or negative way. For now, though, it isn’t unreasonable to anticipate another strong season from the superstar quarterback.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Get the latest Mahoning Valley news in your email inbox weekday mornings. Sign up here for our free daily newsletter.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here’s how you can support Mahoning Matters.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow Mahoning Matters on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.
This story was originally published June 30, 2023 at 10:28 AM with the headline "Pittsburgh Steelers Cam Heyward questions ‘different’ Baltimore Ravens offense under Todd Monken."