Ravens newest Pro Bowl addition already feels ‘right at home’

Even though veteran free safety Eddie Jackson is new to the Baltimore Ravens organization after spending the first seven years of his career with the Chicago Bears, he still finds himself surrounded by familiar faces and former teammates.

“It [feels] like I’m right at home,” Jackson said. “I know a lot of the guys – I grew up with a lot of the guys from the same place [in south Florida]. Like I said, it just felt natural. Even the staff, everyone around the building [has] been treating me so well. Everyone’s been so welcoming. It’s easy.”

Like many of the top players on the team, he hails from Sunshine State having grown up in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, which is 15 minutes away from where Ravens franchise quarterback and reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson grew up. The two of them even competed in youth football together and since they share the last name, he even referred to him as his cousin and the same was the case with second-year wide receiver Zay Flowers.

During his collegiate career, he was teammates with three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey and four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry. The three of them won a national title together in 2015 and are now reunited in the pros to strive for the even loftier goal of winning a Super Bowl.

“Just being reunited with guys, it makes it feel [so] special,” Jackson said.

By choosing to come to Charm City, he is also being reunited with one of his closest teammates he had during his time in the Windy City. Before being acquired via trade midway through the 2022 season, Ravens two-time First Team All Pro inside linebacker Roquan Smith was the field general in the middle of the Bears’ defense while Jackson patrolled the backend.

“Just knowing the type of person he is, the type of player he is, the type of leader he is and what he brings to the team, as well as to the defense every Sunday when he steps on the field,” Smith said. “Just knowing his mentality – him going out there flying around, making plays, wanting to put everything on his shoulders, wanting everybody to follow him and kind of mirror him and how he plays the game. It’s something special just to be back with him and be reunited.”

The two of them had a brief conversation after he signed with the team, chatted about the defensive scheme he will be a part of and he expressed his admiration for how the Ravens play and deploy their defensive backs especially.

“You look at the guys – the type of talent they have on the defensive side of the ball, from the front to the back,” Jackson said. “Being able to come in and plug in as much as possible. Whatever role that I can [take on] to contribute to that is huge. That went into a lot of thought [when] making a decision as well.”

The process that led to him signing a one-year deal with the Ravens was short and sweet and came together on his initial visit. He met with coaches and members of the training and equipment staff and based on those interactions alone said “It just felt like a perfect fit.”

“Just knowing what they have in this building and the tradition of things, I just knew it [was] a perfect fit for me to come in and compete and do what I [have] to do to help the team get better and hopefully win the Super Bowl,” Jackson said.

The 30-year-old established himself as one of the most dangerous ball hawks in the league early on in his career and has 15 interceptions under his belt. During Monday’s practice, he intercepted a pass and returned it for a score according to reports and hopes to continue showing he is capable of making such plays in games once the regular season rolls around.

“I can come in and contribute to a team,” Jackson said. “I know the type of person I am off the field as well. I just want to show that around the league and to everyone.”

The Ravens brought him in to effectively and properly replace former late-round gem Geno Stone who signed with a division rival in free agency. They already boasted the league’s top safety tandem with First Team All Pro Kyle Hamilton and veteran ball hawk Marcus Williams. Now with Jackson coming in to replace Stone with the potential of being possibly an upgrade given his production and experience having made 100 starts in 100 career games, the team has by far the deepest secondary in the league.

“Man, it’s crazy,” Jackson said. “I feel like this is probably the [deepest] and [most] competitive DB room I’ve [had] since Alabama with Minkah [Fitzpatrick], Ronnie [Harrison] and Marlon. Just to be back there with Kyle and Marcus and those guys being able to help me. You know, teach me things [and] answer any questions I have. Even with some of the younger guys – I’ve been looking [to] them for help just learning the playbook and things like that, so it’s definitely special.”

With his most recent jersey No. 4 being owned by Flowers, the Ravens revealed Jackson will be returning to the No. 39 that he wore during his first four years in the league including the 2018 season when he recorded a career-high six picks—two of which he returned for scores.

While the number on the back and front of a jersey doesn’t equate to or guarantee turnovers, the man wearing is a proven playmaker who just a year removed from hauling in four interceptions in just 12 games. Given the high volume of multiple safety packages the Ravens deploy on defense, Jackson will be seeing the field early and often, giving him ample opportunities to show he can provide the complementary playmaking presence they had with Stone who led the AFC with seven interceptions in 2023.