The Baltimore Ravens’ season has gone off the rails since quarterback Lamar Jackson went down, and for a while it looked like he wasn’t coming back.
The two-time MVP fractured and dislocated his right thumb on his first snap back from a high ankle sprain in a 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 1. Head coach Jesse Minter said Jackson needed surgery and admitted the injury could “potentially” end his season.
Things haven’t gotten any better since. The Ravens have lost four straight heading into Monday night’s home game against the winless Los Angeles Chargers. However, Jackson’s injury outlook just got a lot brighter.
Lamar Jackson Has Real Shot at Returning This Season
Minter had stayed tight-lipped about Jackson’s thumb for nearly two weeks. That changed Friday morning when he released a statement on the injury and a possible timeline.
“Lamar is doing well as he recovers from the broken and dislocated thumb injury he suffered in Week 8,” Minter said. “Recovery timelines are challenging to predict, but injuries like this that require surgery typically take about 6-10 weeks to heal. He is doing everything he can to get back, and we will let his progress guide the timing of his return.”
The missing piece was when Jackson actually had surgery. ESPN’s Adam Schefter filled in that blank on Saturday.
“As it turns out, Ravens QB Lamar Jackson underwent thumb surgery last week, per sources,” Schefter posted on X. “If the 6-10 week injury window that Ravens HC Jesse Minter is applied to last week’s surgery, it would give Jackson a chance at returning later this season.”
Under the six-week timeline, Jackson could be back as early as the Week 16 matchup with the Cleveland Browns. Under the 10-week timeline, he wouldn’t return until the playoffs, if Baltimore gets there.
Jackson has been planning on a return all along.
Within 24 hours of the injury, he told teammates he planned to play again this season, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Rapoport paraphrased Jackson’s message to the locker room as “just stay alive.”
Can the Ravens Stay Afloat Without Lamar Jackson?
That’s easier said than done.
Baltimore also lost backup Tyler Huntley (toe) to injured reserve after the Bills game, and Huntley is expected to miss the rest of the season. That left undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano to start against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He went 10 of 18 for 60 yards and two interceptions in a 33-10 loss.
The Ravens didn’t wait long to find help.
They traded fourth- and seventh-round picks to the Arizona Cardinals for veteran QB Jacoby Brissett and a fifth-round pick, and Arizona paid more than half of Brissett’s remaining salary. Brissett went 3-5 as the Cardinals’ starter (1,719 passing yards, 10 touchdowns, seven interceptions) before he was benched for Gardner Minshew.
Brissett will be the Ravens’ fourth different starting quarterback in as many games on Monday night. Oh, and the opponent is Minter’s old team. He spent the last two seasons as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator.
There’s still a playoff path, however. Baltimore is just one game out of the final AFC playoff spot, though ESPN Analytics gives the Ravens just a 3.7% chance of making the playoffs.
Jackson’s return could change that in a hurry. Baltimore is 82-38 (including playoffs) with Jackson as its starter and 7-15 without him since 2019.
Lamar Jackson Injury Situation Takes New Turn Ahead of Ravens-Chargers Clash