OWINGS MILLS, Md. — New Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken said at his introductory news conference on Feb. 21 that he has yet to speak with quarterback Lamar Jackson, but he downplayed any issues about Jackson’s long-term availability and expressed no reservation about taking the job despite uncertainly swirling around the team’s franchise quarterback.
Monken’s first session with local media came, coincidentally, on the first day that teams could apply the franchise tag to players, and Jackson’s status understandably was a hot topic; the former league MVP is set to become a free agent next month, unless Jackson and the team can work out a long-term extension or the Ravens apply a franchise tag by the March 7 deadline.
Head coach John Harbaugh introduced Monken, saying he stood out in a pool of 14 candidates after the team threw “a big net out there” to replace former offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
Harbaugh said Monken, the offensive coordinator at national champion Georgia for the past three years, first got on the team’s radar after Harbaugh received a call from his sister, Joani, who is married to former Georgia men’s basketball coach Tom Crean. Subsequent interviews sold Harbaugh on Monken’s breadth of knowledge, versatility and ability to motivate and relate to players.
Harbaugh said Monken is not a “one-system” coach, but rather will use a “player-driven approach” built around whatever players he has at his disposal.
“I think our fan base is going to be really excited with what we see from this offense going forward,” said Harbaugh, who fielded no questions before ceding the podium to Monken.
Monken appeared fully prepared for questions about Jackson and said that Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta are “the best in the business” at building a roster.
“They’re going to take care of anything that has to do with any player, not just Lamar,” Monken said.
Monken acknowledged that anyone taking over as the team’s offensive coordinator would want a full grasp of the roster, but he said the team’s pedigree, its organization, and its standout defense held immediate appeal.
“Everybody I talked to said, ‘You want to be a Baltimore Raven. You want to be a part of that organization moving forward,'” Monken said.
Before his stint at Georgia, Monken, 57, had worked as an NFL offensive coordinator with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2016-2018) and Cleveland Browns (2019).
The Ravens are coming off a 10-7 season that included a wild-card berth but then a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the playoffs. Jackson missed the final five games of the regular season and the playoff loss with a knee injury.
Roman was the architect of a Ravens rushing attack that set an all-time NFL record in 2019 but had been a lightning rod of criticism for struggles in the passing game and the team’s early playoff exits. The Ravens ranked No. 2 in rushing and No. 28 in passing this past season, and ranked first and dead last, respectively, in rushing and passing in 2020.
Roman announced shortly after the season that he would be leaving the team to pursue other opportunities.
A search that spanned the pro and college ranks and included 21 interviews ultimately zeroed in on Monken, whom Harbaugh described as “a great coach.”
Monken said he has yet to speak to any of the Ravens players, but he has worked to quickly familiarize himself with the team and recalled seeing Mark Andrews as a high school wide receiver when Monken was an assistant coach at Oklahoma State.
While Jackson’s status remains one huge uncertainty, the team has depth at almost every offensive position group save one; Harbaugh has said the team’s wide receiver room will be rebuilt after being one of the least productive in the league last season.
Of course, for now, this offense is centered around Jackson, who is “underrated as a passer” and has an “elite skill-set,” according to Monken.
“I watch what you guys watch, and it’s pretty amazing,” he said.
Asked about the possibility of Jackson holding out through OTAs and training camp if the quarterback is on the franchise tag, Monken didn’t seem overly concerned, nor did he refute the possibility.
“He’ll be behind, but it’s still just football,” Monken said. “I think sometimes we make this out to be way too much. It’s just football. … We’ll cater to what he knows, and we’ll play.”
Monken said he relished the chance to return to the NFL and compete “against the best in the world.” He also welcomed the scrutiny and pressure that comes with being an offensive coordinator for a team with perennial playoff aspirations.
“There’s pressure everywhere,” Monken said. “There was pressure at Georgia. You can say, ‘Well, you had the best players.’ Yes, but they expect us to go 10-2 at a minimum.”
“That’s what we sign up for,” he added. “That’s our job. Anybody that says that doesn’t come with the territory, they’re lying. … “I’m excited to get started. But again, like I always say, we’re paid to score, and if you don’t score, that’s no fun.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Georgia Athletics