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          Likely MVP Lamar Jackson says he's 'gotta work on everything' to improve as passer

          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterJan 22, 2020, 01:48 PM ET
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              Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
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          Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson made a drastic improvement in his second season, earning first-team All-Pro honors and becoming the favorite for NFL Most Valuable Player.

          After his first Pro Bowl practice Wednesday, Jackson let it be known there is more work to be done.

          Asked what he needs to improve upon as a passer, Jackson said, "Everything. I'm not the best, I'm not the greatest. I'm going into my third year, and I'm trying to get somewhere. I'm trying to get to the Super Bowl. So I gotta work on everything."

          At the start of the season, there were questions about whether Jackson could become a legitimate passer in the NFL. He responded by leading the league with 36 touchdown passes and finishing third with a 113.3 passer rating.

          Jackson became the first player in NFL history to pass for more than 3,000 yards and to rush for more than 1,000 yards in the same season. He reached his first Pro Bowl after leading the league in votes, and he's the front-runner for league MVP, which will be announced next week.

          So, what kind of game plan would Jackson devise to defend himself?

          "I'd be scared if I'm playing against myself, so I don't know," Jackson said. "I'd be kind of nervous."

          Jackson has enjoyed himself at the Pro Bowl. On Tuesday, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees tweeted to Jackson, telling him that his son Baylen is "pumped to meet you."

          On Wednesday, a video was posted showing Jackson throwing passes to Baylen.

          Jackson's season ended abruptly in the divisional round, where the top-seeded Ravens were upset by the No. 6-seeded Tennessee Titans, 28-12. He fell to 0-2 in the playoffs, and he didn't seem inclined to give a prediction for the Super Bowl.

          "It's going to be a tough one," Jackson said. "We played against both teams; we beat one, lost to one. I don't know. K.C.'s got guys over there -- but 49ers do too, so I don't know. Whoever wins, it's not us in this; so I don't really care who's gonna win it."