OWINGS MILLS, MD. — Wide receiver DeSean Jackson played five seasons with Michael Vick, who owned many of the league’s top rushing records for a quarterback — until a quarterback named Lamar Jackson came along. Now, DeSean Jackson is a teammate of Lamar Jackson, and the elder Jackson called his new quarterback “the new era to Michael Vick.”
DeSean Jackson officially signed with the Ravens’ practice squad on Oct. 19 and was on the practice field that afternoon in his new Ravens No. 15 jersey. After practice ended and most players had headed into the locker room, he and Lamar Jackson stayed on the field and appeared to be discussing routes and plays.
DeSean Jackson, who turns 36 in December, has had five seasons in which he topped 1,000 receiving yards — three of them playing with Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles — and most recently with Washington in 2016. He made the Pro Bowl three times in his first six seasons, all with the Eagles, who drafted Jackson in the second round out of Cal in 2008.
Jackson played 16 games last year, seven for the Los Angeles Rams and then nine for the Las Vegas Raiders, who signed Jackson after he was cut by the Rams in November. Jackson finished 2021 with 20 catches for 454 yards and two touchdowns.
Durability has been an issue, though; Jackson missed 24 games in 2019-2020, and played every game just twice in 14 previous NFL seasons.
The Ravens’ wide receiver corps has been one of the least productive in the league, and has been further limited by the absence of Rashod Bateman, who missed the past two games with a foot injury. In a loss to the New York Giants last week, Ravens wide receivers totaled five catches for 45 yards.
For the season, Ravens wide receivers have 42 catches for 587 yards, and after six games, only Bateman (11-243) and Devin Duvernay (18-240) have even topped 100 yards for the season.
Four times in his career, Jackson has led the league in yards per catch, so his big-play ability could help a Ravens passing game that has had limited downfield production. Bateman has two touchdown catches on 50-plus yards, though one of those was a quick slant that turned into a 79-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
According to Pro Football Focus, Lamar Jackson this year is 8-for-28 on passes of 20 yards are more, and is 1-of-9 on such passes in the past two games.
Sitting at his new locker after his first Ravens practice, with a throng of reporters gathered around him, DeSean Jackson said that he gives the Ravens a “spark” who can be a vertical deep threat with “big, explosive plays.”
“The film speaks for itself, with what I’ve been able to do over my career,” he said.
DeSean Jackson said that while he is on the practice squad now, he envisions being moved to the 53-man roster.
Neither he nor head coach John Harbaugh offered any indication whether Jackson would play as soon as this coming Sunday, when the Ravens (3-3) host the Cleveland Browns (2-4) at M&T Bank Stadium.
Harbaugh said, “I don’t know. We’ll see,” noting that Jackson “looked good. Looked like he’s in shape. We’ll take it from there.”
Lamar Jackson said he was impressed by his new receiver at his first practice, saying he “looked like the DeSean when he first got to the league. … floating around, running great routes. I’m excited.”
DeSean Jackson said of his new quarterback, “I’ve been keeping my eye on Lamar for a little while now. I see a lot of characteristics similar to Michael Vick, but he’s beaten some of [Vick’s] records, so obviously he’s the new era to Michael Vick.”
In recent years, the Ravens have frequently turned to a thirtysomething receiver to try to jump-start their sagging passing game, with mixed results.
Steve Smith joined the Ravens in 2014 at age 35 and led the Ravens that year with 79 catches for 1,065 yards. Two years later, the Ravens signed 30-year-old Mike Wallace, and he finished with 72 catches for a team-high 1,017 yards.
More recently, the Ravens signed 31-year-old Michael Crabtree in 2018, and he finished with 54 catches for 607 yards in his only season in Baltimore. In 2020, the Ravens signed Dez Bryant, then 32, midway through the season and he finished with six catches for 47 yards.
Now they turn to DeSean Jackson, who was not with any team in training camp but said that he has “been working out and busting my tail off the past two, three months, so I feel like I’m in great shape. Football shape is a little different, but I think I was able to go out there, obviously in my workout and today in practice, and show ’em that I still got some juice in the tank.”
PRACTICE NOTEBOOK
ANDREWS, DOBBINS, RICARD TOP LENGTHY LIST OF ABSENCES: All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews missed his first practice of the season, and while Harbaugh noted that Andrews was getting a rest day, the injury report indicates he is dealing with a knee injury. Running back J.K. Dobbins, who left the Giants game on Oct. 16 because his knee “tightened up,” according to Harbaugh, also missed practice.
Other offensive absences included fullback Patrick Ricard (knee), tackle Morgan Moses (heel), guard Ben Cleveland (foot) and wide receiver Devin Duvernay (rest).
Defensive lineman Calais Campbell had been customarily given Wednesdays off this fall, but he is listed as having missed practice with a foot injury. Cornerback Marcus Peters had a vet day off.
LAMAR JACKSON LIMITED WITH HIP INJURY: Lamar Jackson was a late arrival at practice, walking out as individual drills got underway. Usually, the quarterbacks work on a side field during the opening special teams portion of practice. Jackson threw off to the side during individual drills, while Tyler Huntley and practice squad quarterback Anthony Brown threw to receivers. Harbaugh said afterward that Jackson had “a full practice,” but he’s listed as limited on the injury report.
BATEMAN, HOUSTON RETURN: Wide receiver Rashod Bateman (foot) and linebacker Justin Houston (groin) both returned to the practice field after missing time. Bateman has missed the past two games, and Houston has missed the past three. They were both listed as limited in practice, as was tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle).
PATRIOTS CLAIM WEBB OFF PRACTICE SQUAD: The Patriots claimed wide receiver Raleigh Webb off the Ravens practice squad. Webb, an undrafted rookie out of The Citadel, appeared in two games for the Ravens as a standard practice-squad elevation, playing exclusively on special teams.
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