Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was apparently never close to returning to action after suffering a knee injury that forced him to miss the final five games of the regular season and last night’s playoff loss.
Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey said after Sunday’s game that Jackson was clearly not healthy enough to play.
“I don’t even know if I should say this, but he’s like that limps around the facilityHumphrey said, via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley . “It’s kind of a crazy thing that people don’t see.”
Humphrey said the players never had any doubt Jackson wasn’t able to play, but he hopes the team will sign Jackson to a long-term contract this offseason.
“Obviously we knew he wasn’t going to be with us, but hopefully we’ll get him a big contract and he’s a Raven with me forever,” Humphrey said.
Humphrey’s comments are strange for several reasons. One of them is that he says: “I don’t even know if I should say this.” Humphrey Who wouldn’t want him to tell the truth about Jackson’s injury?
Another is that most reports about Jackson’s injury make it seem less serious than it was. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that when Jackson suffered a torn PCL, that type of injury usually forces players to miss one to three weeks. Jackson suffered the injury six weeks ago and is nowhere near healthy enough to return.
Schefter also reported a week after Jackson’s injury that Jackson would likely miss two games before returning on Christmas Eve.
The Ravens’ own report on Jackson also missed the mark. At the time of the injury, the Ravens hadn’t even ruled out Jackson missing any games at all, listing him as questionable rather than ruling him out for the Ravens next. game
So there are reports on Jackson’s knee that suggest it’s not a serious injury, and still six weeks later, his teammate says Jackson is limping around the facility and clearly unable to play.
Jackson should have plenty of time to heal and be ready for the 2023 season. But first he needs the big contract Humphrey says the team should give him.
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