Cincinnati Bengals just got involved in significant Lamar Jackson injury update
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson left the team’s Week 4 win over the Tennessee Titans with an ankle injury. The latest update on his recovery timeline has the Cincinnati Bengals paying close attention to Week 7.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is officially dealing with a sprained ankle, and it puts his status for his upcoming Week 7 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals in jeopardy.
Per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Jackson has “only an outside chance of playing” against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, and “could end up missing multiple games based on how rehab goes.”
Jackson suffered the injury during the Ravens’ 24-18 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 4. Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley entered the game and completed eight-of-nine passes for 63 yards to close things out.
Lamar Jackson could possibly miss Week 7 matchup vs. Bengals
Baltimore left that game without knowing how severe Jackson’s ankle injury was. Now that a potential recovery timeline of multiple weeks is on the table, Cincinnati’s Week 7 meeting in Baltimore comes into question.
The Bengals only have one game against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday before their Week 6 bye takes them into their trip to Charm City. The Ravens have a longer road to get there. Baltimore still has Sunday’s game against the Falcons, and a road game against the Cleveland Browns to get through before taking on the Bengals for the first time this season.
It’s entirely possible Jackson rehabs a lot quicker than expected and suits up against Atlanta anyway. If he misses the Falcons game, however, the question of his length of absence will become more pertinent.
That’s worth monitoring from a Bengals perspective.
Ravens offense has thrived with Jackson under center
Losing Jackson for any stretch would be a massive blow for Baltimore. He has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, completing nearly 71 percent of his passes for 967 yards. He’s also averaging 10.1 yards per attempt, which speaks to how explosive the Ravens’ new passing game under offensive coordinator Declan Coyle has been with him running it.
Jackson has still been efficient as a runner as well, averaging 7.6 yards per carry. That said, he has not eclipsed 50 rushing yards in a single game. An ankle injury would limit any quarterback’s mobility, and that could be something Jackson has to adjust for once he returns.
For a player whose legs have always been a central part of what makes him dangerous, that adjustment will be worth noting even if he’s back on the field by the time the Bengals come to town.
Keeping tabs on Jackson’s timeline
Nobody knows for sure how long Jackson will be out. The Ravens haven’t put a timeline on it. Rapoport’s report, however, brings real uncertainty into whether Jackson will be able to play against the Bengals in Week 7.
Time will tell how his rehab progresses over the next two weeks.
