Why does PFF grade Baker Mayfield higher than Lamar Jackson?

Who is the most accomplished quarterback of the 2018 draft class?

It would be fair to say that Lamar Jackson is the most accomplished quarterback of the 2018 quarterback class, mainly because of his monster 2019 season. He has been the NFL’s Most Valuable Player, All-Pro, and Pro Bowler.

He’s the only quarterback to become a starter at age 21 and have a record better than one game over .500. The previous best was David Woodley of the Miami Dolphins who went 6-5 in 1980. Jackson went 6-1, demolishing that record.

Jackson was a January baby whereas Woodley was born in October. Hence Jackson debuted when he was 21 years and eight months, while Woodley’s debut occurred at 21 years and 11 months. Jackson is thus the youngest quarterback to have three winning seasons, youngest to win 30 games, youngest to start a playoff game (though Mike Vick is the youngest to actually win a playoff game), the youngest player to win the MVP, blah, blah, blah, blah….Hence this fan tends to resist the narrative that he “he can’t win the big one.”

Yes, he only has one playoff win, that is true. But good grief, the kid is still only 24 years old. When Tom Brady was his age, he was still a backup quarterback awaiting his chance to play. You just cannot be giving up on quarterbacks at age 24, for pity’s sake.

But what have you done for us lately? After chucking 36 TDs versus 6 picks in 2019, he had a somewhat down year in 2020, throwing only 26 TDs, with 9 INTS. His main problem was that Marshal Yanda, who may be voted into the Hall of Fame after eight Pro Bowls and two All-Pro seasons, retired after the 2019 season.

Then, Ronnie Stanley, their stud left tackle, broke his ankle. Those events forced the Ravens to adjust on the offensive line. Covid-19 did not help matters much either. Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield compete for the most unfair criticism in the NFL.

By comparison, Baker Mayfield also threw for 26 TDs, the same number as Jackson, but with 8 INTs or one fewer than Jackson. Mayfield is not nearly the runner that Jackson is, compiling 840 fewer rushing yards and six fewer rushing touchdowns. But if Mayfield’s job is to hand the ball off to Nick Chubb, and he succeeds at that, he should be earning high grades. It does not mean that Mayfield is more skilled, but his grade could be the same for carrying out the play as it was called.

However, Josh Allen had a better year than either Mayfield or Jackson statistically in 2020, and went deeper in the playoffs, losing to Kansas City in the AFC title game. The Browns actually gave the Chiefs a much tougher game, but nevertheless, Allen has two playoff wins as the starting quarterback. Allen tossed 37 touchdown passes, 4,544 passing yards, 37 passing touchdowns, and only 10 interceptions along with 421 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns.

Good grief, the guy was a monster. Hence, it’s predicted here that Allen will probably get the biggest contract, somewhat higher than Dak Prescott’s deal. Lamar Jackson probably deserves a somewhat lower amount, and Baker Mayfield should come in third, unless his agent can outmaneuver Jackson acting as his own agent.

Perhaps the wild card, however, is that Jackson is so far negotiating his own deal, with help from his mother, Felicia Jones. No one is exactly sure how that will turn out, but it is usually a bad idea to turn down help from the professionals.

The argument has occasionally been raised that Baker deserves the highest contract among the 2018 quarterback class based on the fact that he was the first overall pick. However, that argument should be demolished by Sam Darnold (third overall) and Josh Rosen (10th overall).

Good luck to Darnold if he wants to get a bigger contract than Josh Allen, and best wishes for Josh Rosen getting a better contract than Lamar Jackson. Plus the guy who made Mayfield the first overall pick, John Dorsey, was fired after the 2019 season.

The third page of this article discusses some inconsistent reporting of the Pro Football grades for Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson.