Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has built an impressive NFL resume, winning two MVP awards and compiling a 79-32 regular-season record. His 3-5 postseason record, however, has been a source of criticism over the years. Now, questions about his availability and leadership are adding to the scrutiny.

The Ravens are currently 4-3, with Jackson missing their last three games because of an ankle injury. The 29-year-old is expected to return in Week 8 against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. But as he prepares to get back on the field, Colin Cowherd has raised some concerns about the Ravens superstar.

Colin Cowherd Questions Lamar Jackson’s Leadership

Speaking on “The Herd,” Cowherd discussed how Jackson was once a regular in the MVP conversation alongside Allen and Patrick Mahomes. However, he said Jackson’s standing has taken a hit since the 2025 season, with injuries and uncertainty surrounding his availability becoming growing concerns.

“I sold all of my Lamar stock, or most of it this offseason… Josh and Lamar met in Week 1 of last season. The year before that, they were like 1 and 2 in the MVP voting… Since then, Josh is still great, and Lamar is basically a .500 quarterback, and you’re never quite sure when he’s gonna play, and there’s weird communication,” Cowherd said.

Since the end of the 2024 season, Jackson has gone 9-8, just over .500, while Allen has posted a 17-6 record. The Ravens also missed the playoffs on the final day of the regular season last year after losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

As for the communication concerns, Cowherd was referring to the mixed messages from Jackson, head coach Jesse Minter, and the Ravens about the quarterback’s injuries, which have often left his status a mystery.

Cowherd also brought up Jackson’s reported video game habits, which reminded him of the criticism Kyler Murray faced in Arizona.

“A Baltimore Sun reporter… this is a guy who covers the team is like, ‘He falls asleep in team meetings because he’s playing video games late at night’,” Cowherd said, before asking, “Is he a more talented Kyler Murray? This is the kind of stuff I don’t want to deal with as a franchise quarterback.”

Cowherd was referring to Baltimore Sun reporter Mike Preston, who wrote last December that Jackson had fallen asleep in team meetings after staying up late playing video games.

Murray faced similar criticism a few years ago when he was with the Arizona Cardinals, with questions about whether he was spending too much time gaming and not enough time studying the playbook.

Murray, though, is off to a 5-0 start this season, although his team’s defense has played a major role in that success.

The Minnesota Vikings have the NFL’s stingiest scoring defense, allowing just 12.3 points per game, and sit at No. 1 in the league with a PFN Defense Impact Score of 95.0. Baltimore, by comparison, ranks No. 17 under the same criteria.

The Ravens have leaned heavily on Jackson to carry their offense, placing a much bigger burden on him than either Arizona or Minnesota has asked of Murray. There is little doubt that Jackson has the superior individual resume, but that only makes the expectations higher.

Until he finds a way to put the questions about his availability and consistency to rest, Cowherd and other critics are unlikely to back off.