The Baltimore Ravens have gone to great lengths to keep quarterback Lamar Jackson healthy in the preseason, but the two-time MVP gave the organization a major scare at a recent practice.
Jackson left practice early during the team’s Tuesday session with what reporters thought was some sort of hand or arm injury. However, a Ravens team spokesman clarified to reporters that Jackson just got stepped on and will be OK.
Lamar Jackson Leaves Practice, Leading to Ravens Injury Scare
That may be the case, but the original reporting from Ravens beat writer Jeff Zrebiec makes it sound like this is a situation needs further monitoring.
“Jackson left practice about 40 minutes early with (strength and conditioning coach) Scott Elliott next to him and doctors trailing. Jackson got knocked down making a throw. He stayed in for a few plays but appeared to be flexing his hand/wrist,” Zrebiec wrote in a tweet after practice.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh wasn’t scheduled to speak with reporters after the practice. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken was, but he told reporters he didn’t see the play in which he got stepped on.
Ravens receiver Tylan Wallace didn’t see the play, either, but he quickly took notice when he realized Jackson wasn’t on the field.
“I was thinking, like, ‘Oh he’s probably resting his arm’ or something like that,” Wallace told reporters, as seen in a video shared by ESPN reporter Jamison Hensley. “Obviously, we keep him in our prayers and everything and hope he’s doing great and all that stuff, but with Lamar being Lamar he’ll be back soon before we know it.”
While the Ravens say it’s no big deal, it’s going to be something to monitor moving forward, especially with how much of Baltimore’s season rests in Jackson’s hands (and legs). The Louisville product hasn’t played a preseason game since 2021, so it was unlikely he’d play in the preseason finale against Washington.
So even if Jackson were dinged up in a meaningful way, he’d have more than two weeks to get healthy for the Week 1 tilt, a playoff rematch with the Buffalo Bills.
State of Ravens QBs Behind Lamar Jackson
If Jackson were to miss any time, which it doesn’t sound like that’s likely the case based on what the Ravens have said, Cooper Rush would be the next man up. The Ravens like what they’ve seen from the former Cowboys quarterback. Monken said earlier in camp that Rush “gets it” and is a “true pro.”
Others tend to agree that Rush is serviceable. An SI.com ranking of backup quarterbacks put at No. 13, while Pro Football Network slotted him in at 14.
“One could argue that Rush deserves to be much higher on this list, given his leadership of the Cowboys during Dak Prescott’s absences and his success despite a lack of a running game,” PFN’s Josh Neil wrote about Rush.
The Ravens, as Neil notes, are far better suited to absorb any kind of Jackson absence than a lot of teams if they were to lose their starter. Derrick Henry‘s presence alone would take a lot of pressure of Rush, and the Ravens’ two-headed tight end monster of Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely make for the ultimate safety valve.
That said, the Ravens probably don’t want to take that chance, and it sounds like they won’t have to with this one.
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