There is no player in the NFL more linked to his team’s fate than Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.
As Jackson goes, so goes the season for his team.
That’s why, if Jackson only has to miss one game because of a hamstring injury suffered in a Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, there still might be some hope left for the Ravens, including a possible return in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Rams in Baltimore.
“I was told there’s an outside shot for next week, so they don’t want to shut it down yet,” Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer said before the Ravens hosted the Houston Texans in Week 5. “But the bye is coming after that, obviously. If they decide to (hold) him out next week, then they get three weeks of rest for him, but they’re not saying he’s out yet for next week.”
The Ravens are 1-3 after the first 4 games and had 6 Pro Bowlers out with injuries against the Texans; Jackson, NFL All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton, left offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, linebacker Roquan Smith, fullback Patrick Ricard and cornerback Marlon Humphrey.
Jackson Initially Protected to Miss 2 Games
In a season in which the Ravens‘ playoff hopes could come down to just 1-2 games, getting Jackson back even 1 week early could be the difference.
The 2-time NFL MVP and NFL career leader in quarterback rushing yards was originally thought to be out for at least 2 games.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (hamstring) is not currently expected to play this Sunday vs the Texans, nor next week vs the Rams (outside of faster healing, which still can be deceptive),” NFL Insider Josina Anderson wrote on her official X account on October 2. “The bye week is after that. That’s a good safe window to help better ensure the hamstring issue doesn’t reappear later in the season when it counts more.”
The Ravens are at home for 3 consecutive games sandwiched around a bye in Week 7 — veteran backup Cooper Rush got the start against the Texans.
Ravens Have Struggled Without Superstar QB
Since 2018, the Ravens are 4-10 without Jackson starting, who almost certainly will wind up with a bust in Canton one day.
According to the Pro Football Reference Hall of Fame Monitor (HOFm), Jackson’s career rating of 81.40 headed into the 2025 season put him at No. 26 in NFL history for his position. It also put him ahead of 7 Hall of Fame quarterback that includes Warren Moon (71.30), Joe Namath (70.00), Troy Aikman (64.28) and Jim Kelly (59.10).
Jackson is also on track to become the highest paid player in NFL history following the 2025 season. He made a staggering $80 million in 2023 after he signed a 5-year, $260 million contract extension, which included a $72.5 million signing bonus.
While Jackson still has 2 years left on his deal after this year, it’s hard to see the Ravens not trying to lock him down for an even longer term.
Jackson’s current contract would pay him $52 million each in 2026 and 2027, which could put him $20 million behind the NFL’s highest paid quarterback in terms of annual salary by the final year.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Gets Promising Injury Update appeared first on Heavy Sports.