Ravens QB Lamar Jackson briefly returns to practice after missing time with illness before exiting again
Published in Football
Just before 1:30 p.m. ET Wednesday, screams of joy and excitement echoed across the Ravens’ three practice fields in Owings Mills, Md. Lamar Jackson was back.
After being absent from the first three days of training camp with an illness, the star quarterback and the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player came jogging down the turf ramp leading from the team’s indoor facility and onto the field, slapping hands with the dozens of adoring kids lining the entryway. His appearance, however, was short-lived.
An hour into the steamy two-hour session and after just a few reps with the first-team offense, as well as the second unit, Jackson walked off the field, helmet in hand, with a few members of the team’s training staff.
Offensive coordinator Todd Monken declined to say whether the plan for Jackson was to only be out there for an hour and to have limited reps, but he did say it was “great” to have him back, even if only for a little while.
“We are gonna work him back in for sure,” Monken quipped, tongue firmly planted in cheek. “He was great in the meetings; you’ll have to ask him how he feels.
“When we were on the field at the start, he said he was feeling good.”
Meanwhile, the offense carried on as usual, with No. 2 quarterback Josh Johnson, a 38-year-old veteran; Devin Leary, a rookie sixth-round draft pick from Kentucky; and undrafted rookie Emory Jones, who played at Florida, Arizona State and Cincinnati, receiving the bulk of the snaps in Jackson’s absence this week. None of them looked sharp, however, including Jackson.
The quarterbacks combined for six interceptions Wednesday, with Johnson throwing four of them and Jackson one. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey accounted for two of them, including the one off Jackson, while safeties Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams and cornerbacks Jalyn Armour-Davis and Trayvon Mullen had one apiece.
Coach John Harbaugh had said Tuesday of Jackson’s extended absence that it was “just a matter of when the doctors are going to clear him and he’s going to feel good enough.”
An off day Thursday should help with the Ravens returning to practice Friday afternoon.
“It’s great having him back today, but I don’t feel behind,” Monken said. “We didn’t stop. We still installed. We’re still [installing the offense].”
Jackson is coming off his second MVP award in five years after setting career highs in passing yards and completion percentage while leading Baltimore to an NFL-best 13-4 regular-season record and an appearance in the AFC championship game.
Th Ravens open their season Sept. 5 at Arrowhead Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs in a rematch of that playoff matchup. Jackson has a 1-4 record against the Chiefs, including last season’s 17-10 season-ending loss at M&T Bank Stadium.
____
©2024 Baltimore Sun. Visit baltimoresun.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Comments