OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Quarterback Lamar Jackson missed the team’s practice on Nov. 19 with an ankle injury, according to the official injury report, marking the third different injury he has dealt with this season.
Jackson headlined a lengthy injury report that included seven other absences, including safety Kyle Hamilton (shoulder/groin), linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring) and several other starters.
Jackson had also missed practice last Wednesday, and at the time, head coach John Harbaugh explained that Jackson was dealing with “some soreness coming out of the [Vikings] game” four days earlier.
The injury report later revealed Jackson’s absence was due to a knee injury. Jackson returned to practice the next day and played every offensive snap in the Ravens’ 23-16 win at Cleveland on Nov. 16.
Jackson had missed three games earlier this season with a hamstring injury, and the Ravens lost two of those three games en route to a 1-5 start. The Ravens (5-5) have since won four in a row and host the New York Jets (2-8) at M&T Bank Stadium this coming Sunday, Nov. 23.
Asked after the team’s Nov. 18 workout whether Jackson’s absence was again related to his knee soreness, Harbaugh offered little clarity other than to say, “same type of situation.”
“I really don’t have any information on that, as far as any more information — public information — that I want to share on any of those guys” who didn’t practice, Harbaugh said. “It’s Week 12. … It’s the physical nature of the sport. Some guys don’t practice on Wednesday. We’ll try to get everybody available for Sunday that we can.”
In addition to Jackson, Hamilton and Smith, absences also included wide receiver Rashod Bateman (ankle), who missed the game at Cleveland, starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley (illness), starting left guard Andrew Vorhees (foot), tight end Isaiah Likely (calf) and cornerback Keyon Martin (rib).
After facing the Jets, the Ravens host the Cincinnati Bengals (3-7) on Thanksgiving night, and Harbaugh sidestepped a question about whether players were sitting out a practice because of the short-week schedule looming with two games in five days.
“I do appreciate the questions,” Harbaugh said, “but, really, nothing I can tell you. Some guys can practice; some guys can’t. Some guys we would rather hold out and get them ready to go. … I know that it’s Lamar, it’s our quarterback, and I understand how important it is. It wasn’t in his best interest to practice today. And we’ll see where we’re at tomorrow.”
If Jackson were unavailable against the Jets, Tyler Huntley would be in line to make his second start of the season. Huntley started the Ravens’ 30-16 win against the Chicago Bears, which was the third game that Jackson had missed this season. The team lost the previous two, which had been started by Cooper Rush at quarterback.
The Jets, who have won two of their past three games after an 0-7 start, have announced they plan to start former Raven Tyrod Taylor at quarterback. Taylor, Joe Flacco’s backup in Baltimore from 2011-2014, will be making his second start of this season and the 60th of his 15-year NFL career. He started the Jets’ 29-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3.
“He’s a heck of a quarterback,” Harbaugh said. “He’s played well for them this year already. He’s done a really nice job. We respect him greatly, and we know it’s a big challenge to defend a Tyrod Taylor-led offense.”
NOTEBOOK
HUMPHREY, HILL RETURN: Cornerback Marlon Humphrey and running back Justice Hill, both of whom missed the Ravens’ game at Cleveland this past week, were on the practice field Wednesday.
Humphrey is recovering from a surgical procedure in his left hand, and he was listed as limited in practice. At the time, Harbaugh said he expected Humphrey would miss just a week or two, and the Browns game was the first one he had missed.
Hill missed the Browns game with a toe injury, his first absence of the season. He was a full practice participant.
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