Ravens HC Names Biggest Problem With Rookie QB

Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh is determined to develop his new rookie quarterback.

Jeremy Brener | May 7, 2024

Dec 29, 2023; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Devin Leary (13) warms up before / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens already have their franchise quarterback in Lamar Jackson, but they still selected a signal-caller in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Devin Leary, the team's sixth-round pick out of Kentucky, may have been the most surprising pick in the Baltimore's draft class, but the Ravens see him as Jackson's future backup. But in order to be trusted with those duties, Leary has to clean up parts of his game.

In his senior season at Kentucky, Leary threw for 25 touchdowns, but also had 12 interceptions despite only having 16 in four seasons at NC State. The turnovers are worrisome, but coach John Harbaugh has a plan in place.

"I think it's very fixable in the sense that, the arm strength is there, and I think he's an accurate thrower," Harbaugh said regarding Leary's turnovers. "But, he unfortunately threw it to the other team too many times. He and I had that conversation. I said 'What's your trait?' He said, "I work hard, [and] I'm tough. I'm dedicated,' and I go, 'I know, but what's your football trait on the field?' He goes 'Oh, I've got a great arm.' I go, 'Bull's eye, you can throw the ball. What is the biggest thing you need to work on?' He goes, 'I need to cut down on the interceptions and turnovers.' So, he knows, and that's something that I think you can get better at."

Leary has self-awareness, and that's possibly the first step towards development. But Leary also has time on his hands, which is also a plus. He's expected to be the third-string quarterback this season behind Jackson and veteran Josh Johnson, who's on a one-year deal. However, the hope is that Leary can step into that QB2 role in 2025 when he's less prone to picks.

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Published May 7, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.