Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson took one step back toward the lineup when he returned to practice on Wednesday, but head coach John Harbaugh didn’t speculate on when Jackson might take the final and most important step.
Harbaugh said at his Wednesday press conference that it was good to have Jackson back on the practice field before saying that he wouldn’t “put a number” on the chance that Jackson plays against the Bears this Sunday. Harbaugh added that there is “no shareable injury information available at this time” about Jackson’s hamstring.
Harbaugh also declined to say whether Cooper Rush will continue to start if Jackson is unable to play. Tyler Huntley would be the other option, but Harbaugh said he doesn’t see any benefit to sharing his thought process on which way the team would go.
The next two days will bring further updates on Jackson’s status as they head into a game that will mean a lot to their remaining playoff chances.
The Ravens had a welcome return to the field at Wednesday’s practice.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson is in uniform and taking part in practice for the first time since injuring his hamstring in a September 28 loss to the Chiefs. Reporters at the open portion of the session shared that Jackson was running around and making throws to teammates.
The team’s injury report will bring official word on his participation level, but those reporters indicated that it will likely be a limited tag for Jackson’s first day back. There will also be press conferences that could shed more light on his outlook for Sunday’s game against the Bears.
That’s still a significant step in a positive direction for a 1-5 team that is going to need all hands on deck if they are going to make a run at the postseason over their final 11 games.
The fact that the 1-5 Ravens are 6.5-point favorites on Sunday against the 4-2 Bears has created a presumption that two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson will return from a hamstring injury suffered 24 days ago.
Before Jackson can play, he’ll presumably have to practice. He hasn’t practiced yet.
We’ll find out soon whether he practiced on Wednesday, the first full workday in advance of Sunday’s Week 8 game.
There’s an important subtext to consider. Jackson by all public appearances wants a contract that puts his compensation package better in line with the likes of Josh Allen and Dak Prescott. Until Jackson gets what he believes he deserves, why risk aggravation or some other injury until he’s truly 100 percent?
We saw that dynamic in 2021 and 2022, with Jackson suffering late-season injuries from which he didn’t return. In 2022, he didn’t play in the playoff loss to the Bengals.
Players who believe they merit greater financial security must be sensitive to the risks associated with playing at less than full strength. There are no guarantees except the guarantees negotiated into contracts. Jackson has, under his current deal, a $29 million salary guarantee in 2026.
That’s a very real factor. And it’s a factor that can, in theory, be eliminated at any time — with the negotiation of a new contract.
So don’t be surprised if this takes a little longer. And don’t be surprised if Jackson won’t practice or play until he believes his hamstring injury has fully healed.
Then there’s the practical reality of whether it even makes sense to return, if the losses continue. While it’s not unprecedented for a team to make the playoffs after starting 1-5 (it has happened four times since 1970, without 17 games and/or three wild-card berths per conference). If the Ravens fall to 1-6, they’ll be facing a must-win, short-week trip to Miami.
If they emerge from the first eight games at 1-7 and if Lamar still isn’t fully healthy, why return at all in 2025?
Black Friday is coming. For the third straight year, that means NFL football in the afternoon.
For the first year, the NFL football game will stream on Prime Video — without a Prime subscription.
Amazon has announced that the Week 13 Black Friday Bears-Eagles will stream globally at no charge, putting it on par with the Week 1 Chiefs-Chargers game from Brazil, which was streamed for free on YouTube.
There’s an important caveat to the term “globally.” A note at the bottom of the press release states that the game will not be available “in Canada and certain other countries.” Which would tend to undercut, to some extent, the notion that it will be available “globally.”
It’s a win-win for the NFL and for Amazon. The audience will be much bigger than it would have been, if it were available only to Prime subscribers in the U.S. That’s good for the NFL, especially as the next wave of broadcast deals approaches.
Also, Amazon will be able to market to a much larger audience (presumably) its various Black Friday deals, based on past buying habits and whatever other information has been secured via online habits and/or whatever we may have said in the presence of our devices.
Bottom line? Even if you don’t have a Prime subscription (and if you don’t like in the Chicago and Philadelphia markets), you’ll be able to watch Bears-Eagles on Amazon on the day after Thanksgiving.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said last week that he expects quarterback Lamar Jackson to return to action after the team’s Week 7 bye, but he wasn’t on the field for the team’s first practice since returning to work.
Multiple reporters at Monday’s practice shared that Jackson remains off the field. Jackson missed the last two games with a hamstring injury he suffered against the Chiefs on September 28.
Cooper Rush started both of those games and the two losses sent the Ravens into the bye with a 1-5 record.
While Jackson is still out, the Ravens did get some players back on the field. Linebacker Roquan Smith and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie were both practicing after missing time with hamstring injuries.
The Ravens will not issue their first injury report for this week’s game against the Bears until Wednesday, so official word on participation levels will not come until that day’s session is complete.
