QB Lamar Jackson
How do you top an MVP performance? That’s the question Jackson is already getting even before he puts on a helmet this offseason. It’s completely unfair to say Jackson will need to step up his game after posting a stellar 2019 campaign but it’s exactly what fans, critics and his own team are going to be expecting in 2020.
The caveat here is that Jackson doesn’t need to improve upon his stats from last season, and the reality is he probably won’t. Very few players have earned back-to-back MVP awards in NFL history and expecting Jackson to put up those same stats, or improve upon them, is setting him up for failure. Instead, Jackson needs to step up by continuing to develop as a quarterback.
That means using the sidelines to his advantage even more than last year. It means being more consistent in his footwork and other mechanics to become more consistently accurate. It also means knowing when to throw the ball away instead of taking unnecessary risks, either with his arm or his feet. Though those improvements might not necessarily mean a better stat sheet, it’ll mean Jackson doesn’t get flustered as easily and he’ll better take advantage of opportunities come playoff time. An improved Jackson is a Super Bowl-winning quarterback, which is the bar currently set for the 2019 MVP.