The Baltimore Ravens are one of the biggest storylines in the NFL after a 1-3 start and a hamstring injury that has left the immediate future of superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson in question.
Jackson exited a blowout road loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday with the muscle strain. He was unable to return to the game and was replaced by backup quarterback Cooper Rush. Rush was reasonable in Jackson’s stead, completing 9 of 13 pass attempts for 52 yards. But Baltimore’s offense was anemic without Jackson on the field.
The Ravens lost to the Chiefs 37-20, which doesn’t even truly tell the tale of just how close the contest wasn’t. Baltimore scored one touchdown across three drives in the fourth quarter after Jackson left, and those six points came on a 71-yard rush by running back Justice Hill that took the clock under two minutes.
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On Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Jackson’s status for Week 5 against the Houston Texans is uncertain. That came after Ravens head coach John Harbaugh explained that his QB’s injury was too serious for Jackson to return to the field.
“There was no way he could have gone back in the game,” Harbaugh told reporters, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN.
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“Lamar Jacksons’s status for Sunday vs. Houston is in question,” Schefter posted to X.
Jackson’s injury couldn’t have come at a worse time, as the Ravens are reeling. The defense is in shambles, giving up 33 points per game. The offense doesn’t appear to have a true No. 1 wide receiver, and star running back Derrick Henry has had uncharacteristic trouble protecting the football.
With Jackson out and the menacing Texans defense looming, there is nothing Baltimore can do but hope that Jackson returns healthy or that Rush can rise to the occasion. But there are considerations the Ravens can make if Jackson has a serious hamstring strain, or even a tear, which might cause him to miss significant time moving forward.
Tyler Huntley, who has stepped in for Jackson before and played well, returned to Baltimore’s practice squad in late August. He will presumably move into the QB2 role behind Rush if Jackson misses any time. However, another physically gifted signal-caller in need of a change of scenery whom the Ravens could pursue is Anthony Richardson of the Indianapolis Colts.
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A former No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, Richardson battled injury and on-field struggles through his first two professional campaigns. He lost his starting job to veteran Daniel Jones during the preseason, and Jones has played well enough through four games to lead the Colts to a 3-1 record.
Richardson’s camp is looking for a way out of Indianapolis and hasn’t made much of a secret of that. The Ravens could be in a position to offer one if Jackson’s injury proves serious enough. Richardson has two years remaining on his $34 million contract, including 2025. He’s a dual-threat quarterback with a strong arm and big-play potential as a rusher, just like Jackson.
Richardson has yet to show true NFL acumen, but he is also just 23 years old. Baltimore took a chance on Jackson at the end of the first round in 2018 (No. 32 overall), which has paid off to the tune of two MVPs and several trips to the playoffs. There is no uncertainty about the Ravens’ ability to develop quarterbacks, and Jackson would likely prove among the best player mentors Richardson could find anywhere in the league.
Beyond that, Richardson’s trade value is at an all-time low, and it’s possible he could be had for a late Day 2 or even early Day 3 draft pick, particularly if Jones keeps playing well and the Colts continue winning. The NFL’s trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 4.
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