(Updated: Saturday 12:55 p.m.)
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Lamar Jackson Watch took a bizarre turn on Saturday afternoon.
After listing Jackson as questionable for Sunday’s game against Chicago on Friday afternoon, the Ravens downgraded Jackson to out a little over 24 hours before kickoff, meaning the two-time MVP quarterback will miss his third straight game with a hamstring injury suffered in the Sept. 28 loss at Kansas City. However, that wasn’t even the weird part as the team also announced Jackson’s Friday practice participation was downgraded from “full” to “limited,” a retroactive move that came roughly two hours after an NFL Network report saying Jackson only ran the scout team.
After Friday’s practice, John Harbaugh said Jackson logged full participation — in what is typically a lighter practice day — after being a limited participant the previous two days, but the 18th-year head coach wouldn’t disclose whether his franchise quarterback would start against the Bears.
“I just think we’re going to talk about it as we go and figure out what we have to do to try to win the game. That’s really what we’re going to try to do,” Harbaugh said. “What’s our best opportunity to win the football game on Sunday? Where does everybody stand including No. 8 — Lamar and anybody else? That’s just how it goes. You do your best. We do talk about it at length, but it’s not really a public conversation. We’re going to try to put our best team out there and play our best.”
Jackson, 28, sitting out the first practice of the week on Monday raised eyebrows about his Week 8 status, and it remains unclear just how much he did on Wednesday and Thursday. Jackson’s athleticism is obviously a critical part of what makes him a special quarterback, and the Ravens also have a quick turnaround to play at Miami next Thursday night. Of course, a 1-5 start leaves next to no margin for error if Baltimore wants to climb back into the playoff race.
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Harbaugh confirmed Friday that Tyler Huntley would start if Jackson couldn’t play, meaning Huntley has supplanted Cooper Rush for the No. 2 quarterback job. Signed to a two-year, $6.25 million deal including $4 million guaranteed in March, Rush played poorly in Jackson’s place, throwing no touchdowns and four interceptions over the last two games. Huntley replaced Rush in the fourth quarter of the Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
While Jackson wasn’t made available to the media this week, Huntley spoke to reporters after Friday’s practice and was signed to the 53-man roster from the practice squad later in the day. Baltimore waived tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden Thursday afternoon to open a roster spot, and New Orleans claimed him off waivers on Friday.
“I always prepare to start. I treat it like every week,” said Huntley when asked about his status for the Chicago game. “I’m studying and drawing out the plays, watching film and everything I need to do to be prepared like I do every week.”
While uncertainty about Jackson’s status lingers, no other Ravens player on the active roster carries a game status designation into Sunday’s contest, which means inside linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring), left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle), fullback Patrick Ricard (calf), and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie (hamstring) are all set to return. Ricard will be making his 2025 debut after recovering from a calf injury suffered in mid-August.
With just three outside linebackers currently on their 53-man roster, the Ravens officially signed veteran edge rusher Carl Lawson to their practice squad Friday, but Harbaugh confirmed the obvious that he wouldn’t be an option for Week 8 after taking part in just one practice. The 30-year-old hasn’t been with a team since collecting five sacks in 15 games for Dallas last season. Lawson spent the first four years of his career with Cincinnati, collecting 20 sacks in 51 games with the Bengals from 2017-20.
“He’ll be on the practice squad, and that’s a good spot for him to get ready to play,” Harbaugh said. “It looks like he’s in good shape. It’s a short week next week [against Miami], so we’ll have to see how that goes. But we’ve played against him a lot, and we have a lot of respect for him — really good guy too. He’s so smart and an experienced player, so that’s a good thing.”
Baltimore has outside linebackers Malik Hamm and Kaimon Rucker on the practice squad as candidates to elevate for depth against the Bears. The Ravens placed starting outside linebacker Tavius Robinson (fractured foot) on injured reserve earlier this week.
8While Jackson is the Ravens’ lone injury question, the Bears will be down multiple starters on Sunday after ruling out cornerbacks Kyler Gordon (groin/calf) and Tyrique Stevenson (shoulder) as well as tight end Cole Kmet (back).
Gordon showed up on the injury report Thursday before being absent Friday and being ruled out, which indicates the injury occurred during the previous day’s practice. The Bears will be without their top three cornerbacks from Week 1 when factoring No. 1 cornerback Jaylon Johnson currently being on IR.
Chicago running back D’Andre Swift (groin) is questionable to play for the second straight week, but he’s coming off a season-high 124 rushing yards against New Orleans despite dealing with the same injury last week. Swift practiced on a limited basis Thursday and Friday after sitting out the first practice of the week.
Below is the updated final injury report for Week 8:
BALTIMORE
OUT: QB Lamar Jackson (hamstring)
CHICAGO
OUT: CB Kyler Gordon (groin/calf), RB Roschon Johnson (back), OL Braxton Jones (knee), TE Cole Kmet (back), CB Tyrique Stevenson (shoulder)
QUESTIONABLE: DL Austin Booker (knee), LB Amen Ogbongbemiga (knee), K Cairo Santos (right thigh), RB D’Andre Swift (groin)
