Lamar Jackson Injury: Is Ravens QB's Continuing Absence Contract Related?

Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson missed his 16th straight practice Wednesday while recovering from his Week 13 left knee PCL sprain.

This DNP comes as a bit of a surprise. 

As detailed on the ProFootballDoc podcast on Tuesday, our panel of doctors believe Jackson has a legitimate chance to play in the Wild Card matchup against the Bengals.

It made sense medically that he did not practice ahead of Week 17 or Week 18, according to the Pro Football Docs. Having Jackson as close to 100% as possible allows him to be mobile and play with his usual dual-threat style.

By video, he suffered a Grade 2 PCL sprain when he landed hard on his left knee in Week 13. Grade 2 PCL sprains typically carry a recovery timeline of 4-to-6 weeks, although they can vary depending on the playing style of the player involved.

Jackson is at the 5-week mark of his PCL sprain and likely could play at less than 100% in the Ravens’ first playoff game since 2020. How effective or mobile he can be remains to be seen, but it’s unlikely that he’s 100% healthy at this point.

The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback’s contract situation has been in the spotlight since before the season and is likely a factor in his return to play.

Jackson reportedly turned down a 5-year, $250 million offer (with $133 million guaranteed) before the season began. 

On Tuesday, the Ravens announced that trade deadline acquisition Roquan Smith had agreed to a 5-year, $100 million deal (with $45 million guaranteed). That agreement adds a new wrinkle to the contract saga, as it frees up a potential franchise tag spot for Jackson.

Although no two PCL sprains are the same, Jets quarterback Zach Wilson was able to return from his 2021 PCL injury in four weeks.

Cowboys tight end Dalton Schultz suffered a minor PCL sprain earlier this season, but returned after missing one week.

Fellow Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott played through a PCL sprain for a majority of last season, but acknowledged that he likely should have rested it more before returning to play.

Tyler Huntley's Shoulder Injury

The third-year quarterback out of Utah is reportedly dealing with a tendinitis issue in his shoulder. Huntley did not throw at Wednesday’s practice after missing Week 18 with shoulder and wrist issues.

He played the entire Week 17 contest and, upon video review, did not appear to suffer significant injuries to his shoulder or either wrist.

Huntley logged limited practices all week prior to missing Week 18, thus it’s possible Balimore is giving his shoulder one more day of rest before ramping him up on Thursday and Friday.

His status, along with Jackson’s, will be key to watch heading into the matchup with the Bengals. If neither quarterback can go, the Ravens will turn to undrafted rookie Anthony Brown, who got his first career start in Week 18.

Ravens vs. Bengals Wild Card Odds

For a detailed look at both sides check out our injury preview here.

The Bengals are favored by 8.5 points at home and the over/under is 40.5, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

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