Following days of optimism and doubt regarding the possible return of Lamar Jackson to the lineup ahead of the Baltimore Ravens‘ playoff opener this weekend, the quarterback threw cold water on the notion Thursday.
While there’s been no official release from the Ravens, Jackson essentially ruled himself out for Sunday’s wild-card matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
In a social media post, Jackson provided an ominous update on his injured knee. Jackson revealed he’s rehabbing from a Grade 2 PCL strain, and there’s still inflammation surrounding the knee, which remains unstable.
Injured in Week 13 against the Denver Broncos, speculation began to rise surrounding Jackson and his willingness to get back on the field amid a lengthy contract dispute with the Ravens. Former Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl wideout Roddy White added fuel to the fire, encouraging Jackson to sit out Saturday’s playoff game after the Ravens inked linebacker Roquan Smith to a record five-year, $100 million contract.
Earlier in the week, Jackson shared a clip of NFL Network’s Jim Trotter, who dismissed the idea that his contract situation has anything to do with his absence.
Considering that Jackson has yet to practice, it’s not exactly a surprise he won’t be suiting up this weekend. However, the fact that the news came from Jackson himself is curious, and it’ll be interesting to see if and when the team comments.
Without Jackson, the Ravens will lean on backup Tyler Huntley to keep their season alive. The Ravens went 2-2 with Huntley under center over the final four games of the regular season. The 24-year-old completed 60 percent of his passes, throwing for 471 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions while adding 96 rushing yards off 33 attempts.
