Pro Football Hall of Fame safety and former Baltimore Raven Ed Reed heaped plenty of praise on current Ravens franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson for his improvement since entering the league.
Jackson, who has always been difficult to prepare for with his legs, has improved one area of his game that has really caught Reed's eye as a former top defender in the league.
If you ask Reed, Jackson's improvement as a pocket passer and his presence in escaping the rush has made great strides since he entered the league in 2018.
"His patience. His pocket presence went up tremendously. I always talk about pocket presence with Brady and Peyton [Manning], those types of guys...that makes a difference," Reed said while appearing as a guest on Golic and GoJo.
"He's not just escaping the pocket and running all the time. He's extending the pocket more and that's difficult to deal with,” Reed said. “Extending that pocket is something that defenses don't always practice for—that’s something you have to have in your head, ingrained in you. You're gonna see that this weekend on both sides like, 'How did that guy get open?' Right? The guys [on defense] fell asleep during a scramble."
Ed Reed on Lamar Jackson: “His patience, pocket presence has went up tremendously...He's not just escaping the pocket running all the time. He's extending the pocket more.
— DraftKings Network (@DKNetwork) January 17, 2025
Extending that pocket is something that defenses don't always practice for." pic.twitter.com/lgOEU4LVYE
Two of the NFL's best quarterbacks in extending plays will face off when Jackson and the Ravens take on Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Sunday to determine which team will advance to the AFC championship.
For those who are interested in high level quarterback play, this will be the game for you.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ed Reed Explains How Lamar Jackson Has Continued to Elevate His Game .
