Lamar Jackson avoids high ankle sprain, Ravens plan to have him against Packers

The Baltimore Ravens got some positive injury-related news regards to their best and most important player on Monday. Head Coach John Harbaugh revealed that starting quarterback Lamar Jackson is dealing with an ankle sprain but that it is not the dreaded severe degree of a high ankle sprain.

“Lamar has an ankle sprain. It’s not a high ankle sprain, which is good news,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll just have to see what it is from there and how he feels this week going forward and what it looks like.

Jackson exited the Ravens’ Week 14 matchup with the Cleveland Browns after getting tackled low by linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah while scrambling outside the pocket. He needed assistance getting off the field and was carted to the locker room where he remained after being declared out for the rest of the game.

While he couldn’t give an answer on if and when Jackson would return to practice this week, Harbaugh and the Ravens are preparing to have the former league MVP for their Week 15 matchup with reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers and the red-hot Green Bay Packers.

“We’re going to see where we’re at with the situation,” said Harbaugh. “The plans are right now, in my mind, for Lamar to be out there. We’ll see where it goes this week. If he can go, he’ll go. If not, Tyler (Huntley) will be the QB.”

Second-year pro Tyler Huntley played well in relief of Jackson and nearly led the Ravens to an incredible come from behind victory before ultimately coming up just short in a 24-22 defeat. The 2020 undrafted free agent went 27-of-38 for 270 yards, a touchdown, and no interceptions and added another 45 yards on the ground with six rushes. He did have pair of costly fumbles that led to points for the Browns on the first and prevented the Ravens from at least getting a field goal on the second.

If Jackson can’t go this week for the interconference showdown between the two respective North division leaders, Huntley will be making the second of the season of his career overall. He made his first career start in Week 11 against the Chicago Bears when Jackson sat out with a non-COVID-related illness and led the Ravens to victory with a clutch game-winning touchdown drive in the final minute of the game.