Michael Vick Warns Ravens QB Lamar Jackson To 'Proceed with Caution'
As the NFL’s all-time leader in rushing yards among quarterbacks, Michael Vick knows better than anyone what it takes to succeed as a mobile quarterback.
Thus his advice to Baltimore Ravens rookie Lamar Jackson may be more meaningful than what anyone else tells the Heisman winner.
Jackson rushed the ball 37 times in his first two NFL starts, and Vick believes that number needs to decrease if Jackson wants to stick around for the long haul.
“With quarterbacks, we’re not used to getting hit all the time,” he told ESPN on Tuesday. “When we do it, it can either get you into the game or it can shake you up a little bit. It’s not like a guy sitting in the pocket; you run the risk of getting injured. I’m not saying that should deter Lamar or scare him; I’m just saying proceed with caution.”
Jackson ran the ball 26 times in his first start, which is the most by any quarterback in nearly 70 years.
It’s also 11 more carries than Vick ever had in a game.
The four-time Pro Bowler believes the optimum number of carries for Jackson is 10 to 12 for his body to hold up.
Vick was able to play 13 NFL seasons, with a two-year prison term coming in the middle of those years. Because of his playing style, he was frequently injured and played in all 16 games just once.
“Later on in my career, I did feel it more,” said Vick, whose rushing yards decreased every year over his last five seasons. “It took a longer time for my legs to come back. Six-thousand yards are a lot, but I’m in the record books.”
Vick ran for 6,109 yards, while no other quarterback has even reached 5,000 rushing yards. He said Jackson has the best chance at breaking his quarterback rushing record if Carolina’s Cam Newton (4,737 yards) doesn’t break it first.
“Cam will play for a long time, so who knows?” Vick said. “(Jackson) may be trying to break Cam’s record after Cam breaks mine. But I will be the first to do it.”
The Ravens’ coaching staff is familiar with a mobile quarterback despite Joe Flacco being the exact opposite.
Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg was Vick’s OC in both Philadelphia and with the New York Jets. Also, Ravens quarterbacks coach James Urban also coached QBs in Philadelphia while Vick was there.
“I know he’s in good hands,” Vick said of the Ravens’ offensive coaching staff. “He’s very lucky to get that at a young age as a rookie.”
While Jackson has excelled as a runner, there are still many improvements he can make as a passer.
Over the last two weeks he’s completed 61.3 percent of his passes with one touchdown and three interceptions. His 63.4 passer rating ranks fourth-worst in the league over that span.
Veteran receiver Michael Crabtree said those struggles are just NFL growing pains that all players go through.
“You’re talking about two weeks the guy has been playing,” Crabtree said after the Ravens beat Oakland. “Come on man, he’s only 22 years old. (Jackson turns 22 in January.) He’s got room to grow. You’ve got to let him grow. You can’t put too much on him now, you have to let him grow. It takes a lot to play football in this league.”
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