In an NFL season – and an MVP race – the best ability is availability. Lamar Jackson might be struggling with that for a second straight season.
A year after missing four games with injuries, the Baltimore Ravens' quarterback exited his team's Week 4 game against the Tennessee Titans
at halftime with an ankle injury. The Ravens ruled him questionable to return, but he remained on the sideline for the rest of the game.Jackson appeared to suffer the ailment when he took a sack on one of the final plays of the first half. Titans edge rusher Jermaine Johnson dove to tackle the quarterback from behind, and his shoulder landed on the side of Jackson's left ankle.
The two-time MVP went back
to Baltimore's locker room early and was not on the field for Ravens kicker Tyler Loop's half-ending, 64-yard field goal, according to The Baltimore Sun. Backup Tyler Huntley led Baltimore's offense for the remainder of the game while Jackson watched from the sideline without a helmet on.
"Little bit of an ankle," Ravens head coach Jesse Minter said after the game. "Don't know enough about it right now, we'll have to see where that's at. Hopefully it's in a good spot.”
Lamar Jackson injury update
NFL Media insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday, Oct. 6 that Jackson is unlikely to play in the Ravens' matchup with the Falcons next Sunday night. The star quarterback "is dealing with a sprained ankle that gives him only an outside chance to play," Rapoport wrote in a social media post.
"Jackson could end up missing multiple games based on how rehab goes, but the injury is not considered long-term or surgical."
At a press conference on Monday, Oct. 5, Minter told reporters that Jackson does not have a clear return date after his ankle injury. The head coach said the team is currently unsure about the quarterback's chances to play in the Ravens' next game: against the Atlanta Falcons on "Sunday Night Football" next week.
"We're still gathering a lot of the information and the imaging and things like that," Minter said. "Just dealing with a little bit of an ankle and we'll see where that shakes out.
"I really don't think it's gonna be crazy long-term, but we'll see what happens."
Ravens QB depth chart
- Lamar Jackson
- Tyler "Snoop" Huntley
- Joe Fagnano
- Skylar Thompson (IR – undisclosed)
Huntley is in the first year of the two-year, $5 million contract he signed this offseason to stay in Baltimore. The Ravens' backup is in his third stint with the team and is in line for his 12th career start for Baltimore if Jackson misses Week 5.
Behind Jackson and Huntley is Fagnano, the undrafted free agent rookie quarterback out of UConn. Fagnano has been the emergency third quarterback for the Ravens for each of their first four games, but he could be bumped up to the backup spot behind Huntley in Week 5.
Thompson signed a one-year deal with the Ravens in May. He's due to miss the 2026 season after the team placed him on IR with an undisclosed injury in early August.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lamar Jackson injury update after Ravens QB's Week 4 ankle ailment
