A few days have passed since the start of the 2026 NFL training camps, and the Baltimore Ravens are already beginning to show signs of change. In fact, new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is having Lamar Jackson take more snaps under center, something the quarterback himself acknowledged he feels comfortable with.
“I am extremely comfortable with it,” Jackson said to the press via NBC Sports. “In youth football I was under center – I haven’t been consistently under center since youth football. We did it here and there in the past, but with this balanced type of offense, I feel like it will help us out a lot – identifying the defense, really keeping the defense on their toes.”
Jackson is one of those quarterbacks who has traditionally felt more comfortable operating out of the shotgun or pistol formations, thanks to his ability to quickly read opposing defenses. Now, it will be a matter of seeing whether Doyle’s approach can pay off.
The Ravens’ new coaching staff
Under new head coach Jesse Minter, the Baltimore Ravens are ushering in a fresh chapter centered on defensive discipline and offensive innovation. A focal point of Minter’s new staff is offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who arrives after coordinating a top-six Chicago Bears offense in 2025 that featured a powerhouse ground attack and league-low turnover rate.
New Baltimore Ravens OC Declan Doyle.
Taking over play-calling duties for Baltimore, Doyle brings a detail-oriented, balanced scheme designed to maximize Lamar Jackson’s dual-threat efficiency. Expect his philosophy to heavily emphasize a physical, top-tier rushing game—pairing seamlessly with Derrick Henry—while relying on heavy play-action concepts, versatile tight end sets, and structured under-center looks to attack defenses downfield.
Surpassing what they did in 2025
Finishing last season with an 8-9 record and missing the playoffs by a narrow margin is something the Baltimore Ravens cannot afford to repeat. The good news is that Lamar Jackson is feeling a new energy within the offense: “I feel like my guys are hungry,” he said via the team’s official website.
Henry could benefit from Doyle’s offense
Coming off a dominant 2025 campaign where he racked up 1,595 rushing yards, 16 touchdowns, and a 5.2 yards-per-carry average on 307 carries, Derrick Henry stands to become even more lethal under offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. Doyle’s heavy emphasis on direct, under-center alignments gives a downhill runner of Henry’s size time to build momentum before reaching the line of scrimmage, allowing him to attack defensive fronts with full speed.
