Kyle Hamilton offers glowing assessment of Lamar Jackson at minicamp

· Yahoo Sports

The Baltimore Ravens wrapped another mandatory minicamp practice session, and as is often the case, several players met with reporters afterward. Among them was All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, one of the defense's most important voices and one of the few players qualified to offer an educated opinion on Lamar Jackson's development.

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His review was glowing. Hamilton has spent years watching Jackson stress defenses in both games and practices. After another solid day of work from the two-time NFL MVP, the Ravens safety made it clear that age hasn't diminished Baltimore's most dangerous offensive weapon.

In fact, Hamilton believes Jackson still looks remarkably similar to the electrifying quarterback who first burst onto the national scene while with the Louisville Cardinals, even though he's approaching his 30th birthday.

The verdict is that Lamar Jackson hasn't lost anything over the offseason

Most quarterbacks begin to lose some of their athleticism as they age. Even the great ones eventually become more dependent on experience and pocket awareness than physical gifts.

Hamilton isn't seeing any of that. His comments suggested Jackson still possesses the rare movement skills that have made him one of the NFL's ultimate cheat codes. Defenders know what is coming. They still struggle to stop it.

That's part of what makes Jackson so special. For years, opposing defenses have built entire game plans around containing him, only to watch him escape pressure, create explosive plays, and turn broken situations into highlights.

The Ravens offense appears energized.

Hamilton's praise also comes at an interesting time. The Ravens have generated plenty of positive buzz throughout the offseason. Players have repeatedly praised the new coaching staff, particularly offensive coordinator Declan Doyle and head coach Jesse Minter. Jackson appears fully bought in.

He's healthy, engaged, and present during voluntary workouts, something Ravens fans always appreciate seeing from their franchise quarterback. The early reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.

A huge season could be ahead. Hamilton jokingly suggested that if every member of the Ravens offense looked like No. 8, Baltimore would be in great shape. There may be more truth in that statement than humor.

Jackson enters the season as a popular early MVP candidate. He has Derrick Henry beside him, a talented receiving corps around him, and a coaching staff that appears intent on maximizing every aspect of the offense. If Hamilton's observations are accurate, Ravens fans should feel encouraged.

The quarterback who changed the trajectory of this franchise still looks like himself. That's bad news for opposing defenses and potentially very good news for a Baltimore team with legitimate championship aspirations.

This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Kyle Hamilton offers glowing assessment of Lamar Jackson at minicamp

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