BALTIMORE — Ravens starting quarterback Lamar Jackson will not play Sunday against the Green Bay Packers as he continues to recover from an ankle sprain he suffered last week against the Cleveland Browns.
Even though Jackson didn’t practice throughout the week, coach John Harbaugh said that the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player was day-to-day and there was a chance that he could play.
“I’d say he has a chance,” Harbaugh said Friday. “It’s just one of those things where … It’s an ankle sprain; if he starts feeling good and everything is alright, we’ll check him out, probably pregame. He’s in all the preparations and all of that. We’ll see where we’re at. But if not, we have Tyler [Huntley], and he’ll be ready to go, also.”
With Jackson sidelined, backup quarterback Tyler Huntley will make his second career start for the Ravens (8-5), who maintain a slim lead in the AFC North with four games to play. When Jackson sat out Week 11 with an illness, Huntley stepped into the starting role to lead the Ravens past the Chicago Bears, 16-13, in a dramatic finish.
After Jackson exited early in the second quarter against the Browns, Huntley threw for 270 yards and a touchdown, helping the Ravens rally from a 24-3 deficit in a 24-22 defeat.
Sunday will be the first time Jackson has missed a game because of an injury. He was sidelined for a Week 12 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers last season after testing positive for COVID-19 and sat out the 2019 regular-season finale after the Ravens clinched the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC.
Jackson is just one of several Ravens starters who will miss Sunday’s game. Cornerbacks Jimmy Smith and Chris Westry, safety Chuck Clark and wide receiver Sammy Watkins were added to the reserve/COVID-19 list this week, further depleting a banged-up secondary. The Ravens currently have 17 players on injured reserve and five on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Defensive end Calais Campbell (thigh), fullback Patrick Ricard (knee/back), right tackle Patrick Mekari (hand) and left guard Ben Powers (foot) are also inactive. Campbell, a six-time Pro Bowl selection who has 39 tackles, 1 ½ sacks and four tackles for loss this season, left last week’s game against the Browns with a thigh injury.
Mekari will miss his second straight game after being injured in a Week 13 loss against the Steelers. He’ll be replaced at right tackle by Tyre Phillips, while rookie third-round draft pick Ben Cleveland is expected to take over for Powers at left guard.
Offensive tackles David Sharpe and Jaryd Jones-Smith and center Adam Redmond were promoted from the practice squad for Sunday’s game. In the secondary, the Ravens will rely on Anthony Averett, slot cornerback Tavon Young, special teams contributor Kevon Seymour and practice squad call-ups Robert Jackson and Mazzi Wilkins.
In addition to Phillips (illness), wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown (illness), tight end Nick Boyle (knee) and offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva (knee) are active after being listed as questionable. Brown and Boyle were limited participants in practice Friday after sitting out Thursday.
For the Packers, offensive tackle David Bakhtiari (knee), wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (concussion), tight end Dominique Dafney (ankle), offensive lineman Billy Turner (knee) and defensive lineman Jack Heflin are inactive. Wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (back) is expected to play.
