New OC expects Ravens to attend voluntary OTAs

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — New Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is fired up to build a new offense around quarterback Lamar Jackson.

It’s just uncertain when Doyle will start to work with the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player.

The Ravens’ offseason program will begin on April 6 — which was mentioned Wednesday by both Doyle and Ravens coach Jesse Minter — and their on-field workouts will start in May. Jackson has typically skipped most of the voluntary workouts and didn’t attend eight of the nine on-field practices last spring.

During Wednesday’s introductory news conference, Doyle was asked about his expectations for the attendance of all players this spring.

“We would expect them to be here and certainly it is voluntary,” Doyle said. “But also, 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.”

The Ravens’ biggest offseason priority is to reduce Jackson’s $74.5 million salary cap number, which is the second highest in the NFL. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti recently said the team wants to get a new deal done with Jackson by the start of free agency in the middle of March. Whether Baltimore can get a new contract with Jackson could impact his availability this spring.

Doyle has spoken with Jackson a few times, including an hourlong video call during his interview process for the Ravens’ offensive coordinator job. He has “had a chance to visit” with Jackson a few times since then, including exchanging some text messages.

In these conversations, Doyle has been impressed with Jackson’s willingness to listen and his hunger to learn.

“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.”

This marks the first time that Doyle will be an offensive playcaller. He was the offensive coordinator last season with the Chicago Bears, but coach Ben Johnson called the plays.

When envisioning Baltimore’s new offense, Doyle sees a “higher ceiling” in Jackson’s game. He pointed out how Jackson can improve on the initial play call before going off script.

“That first play can be more consistent at times with his eyes, with his footwork within the system,” Doyle said. “That’s kind of what I’ve noticed as we’ve watched the tape.”

Jackson, 29, has been among the best dual-threat quarterbacks in NFL history. He is currently tied for the best career passer rating (102.2) and has produced the most rushing yards ever by a quarterback (6,522).

Doyle emphasized the goal is to always stick with the play called, but he understands how improvisation by a quarterback can win games, which is what he saw with Caleb Williams in Chicago last year.

“The quarterback is the eraser of game planning errors or mistakes,” Doyle said. “If there’s something where we expected a certain coverage and we didn’t get it, at times the quarterback’s got to put the cape on and go be Superman. And so in a lot of ways that’s the similarity between their games is that Lamar does have the ability to go do that at times.”