Lamar Jackson averaged 17 rushing attempts per game in eight starts as a rookie, including playoffs, with a whopping 26 in his first tilt in Week 11.
As the Baltimore Ravens revamp their offense to better fit the growing quarterback's skillset, the man ultimately in charge of the team, owner Steve Bisciotti, doesn't see his coaches putting Jackson in harm's way that much in 2019.
"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised that Lamar is not going to be running 20 times a game," Bisciotti said in a conference call with season ticket holders Wednesday, via ESPN. "That's not what this offense is about."
Bisciotti noted that Jackson's high rushing totals in eight games -- six of which Baltimore won -- was partially a product of integrating a young quarterback into the system midway through the season in the midst of a playoff push. With a full offseason to renovate the offense, the owner believes the Ravens attack will be more balanced.
To buffer Jackson this offseason, the Ravens added veteran running back Mark Ingram in free agency, lightning fast RB Justice Hill in the draft and selected two of the fastest wide receivers, Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin.
Getting speed around the QB was a tactical plan.
"We realized as much as anybody else did that we had 11 eyes on Lamar at the end of the year," Bisciotti said. "I think they were focused on him, and in order to make him grow, we had to put some speed around him."
With Jackson's slight frame, the pounding he takes will always be put in question. The Ravens want to mitigate that factor without completely taking away the dynamic QB's running ability. Much of the success of that plan will be how Jackson improves throwing from the pocket this offseason.
The second-year QB might not run 20 times a game in 2019, but using his legs will remain a big part of the Ravens' plans regardless of the number intended.
