Ravens Final Week 7 Injury Report Reveals Major Change for Lamar Jackson

After taking the practice field for the first time since suffering what he revealed was a high ankle sprain during his Friday media availability, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was one of five players given a designation on the team's final injury report.

Fortunately for them, he joined defensive tackle Broderick Washington in being listed as questionable to play against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in a massively important Week 7 AFC North showdown.

"Right now, I'm headed in the right direction," Jackson said. "If it feels better tomorrow, we'll know tomorrow. So I can't call it. I just have a grace period until Sunday."

While seeing the two-time league MVP on the practice field all week was a welcome sight, it was still on a limited basis. However, head coach Jesse Minter shared that Jackson "was able to get a pretty good amount of work in" Friday's practice session.

"Between Lamar and our staff and us [coaches], it's going to be a decision based on him and how he feels and how effective and things like that it can be," Minter said. "He's had a good couple days, but we'll see how it goes over the next 48 hours.

Minter had already ruled out veteran safety Jaylinn Hawkins with a knee injury that will keep him sidelined for multiple games, and he also ruled out fourth-year outside linebacker Tavius Robinson with what he revealed was a season-ending pectoral injury. This leaves the Ravens without one of their three starting safeties and their sack leader through the first six weeks with 3.5.

The only other player given a final designation was third-year cornerback T.J. Tampa, who is listed as doubtful to play with a knee injury, as remains on injured reserve but returned to practice for the first time this week in a limited capacity.

Ravens exercise good old-fashioned gamesmanship

The team's media podium might as well have been a ballroom floor with all the dancing around the question of whether Jackson or primary backup Tyler Huntley would be starting against the Bengals this week.

Usually, only the head coach and starting quarterback step to the podium to address the media on the Friday before upcoming games, which had been Huntley the previous two weeks and Jackson the four weeks before.

This time around, the Ravens had both quarterbacks speak after practice, and neither confirmed or denied who would and wouldn't start on Sunday, although Huntley expressed that he'd be ready to make his third straight start and 19th of his career if called upon.

"I just got to be ready to play Sunday if that's the case," Huntley said. Once we get to Sunday, we'll see."

The Ravens have posted 116 points, 14 touchdowns, 967 passing yards and 1,464 total yards in the 14 quarters with Jackson under center, and barely managed a third of those figures in the 10 quarters without him with 40 points, four touchdowns, 429 passing yards and 742 total yards.

While having the best dual-threat quarterback of all time back in the lineup would be a major boost not only for overall morale but also for the production and efficiency of the offense, Jackson doesn't want to be selfish by rushing back on the field if he can't be his usual dynamic and elusive self.

"I'm just trying to move how I move," Jackson said. "If I can't do that, I can't help my team. I can't put my team in a situation like that. I feel like I'm doing a disservice then."

The Bengals coaches were likely going to prepare to face either quarterback anyway. By having Jackson listed as questionable, which essentially equates to probable, and having him speak to the media in surprising depth about the nature and severity of his injury, they're giving their rivals a worst-case scenario for them to seriously consider coming to fruition on Saturday. Jackson as an 11-3 career record against the Bengals as a starter and was playing at an MVP level prior to suffering his injury.

"I don't feel like I have to be 100%.," Jackson said. "If I can just go out there and feel the pain a little bit, I can play. But I'm restricted. Like, I can't do what I do. I'm not helping nobody. If I can just go out there and just be a statue and get hit, [there's] no positives in that. That's not helping my team at all. I feel like I'm being selfish because it's about me at that point, you know, getting out there and be hurt. That's dumb."