With QB Lamar Jackson’s status Sunday uncertain, Ravens will ‘spread the reps around’ at practice

The Ravens anticipation backmost Lamar Jackson tin play astatine adjacent to afloat spot Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. But they’re already preparing for the anticipation that an injured ankle volition sideline him for the team’s biggest crippled of the year.

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said Thursday that, with Jackson constricted successful his archetypal signifier Wednesday since a Week 14 injury, and with backup Tyler Huntley activated from the reserve/COVID-19 database Thursday, “you decidedly privation to dispersed the reps around” astatine practice.

Typically, the Ravens’ starting backmost gets astir of the repetitions successful practice, if not all, Roman said. “But nether the circumstances,” helium added, “we whitethorn set that.” A time aft manager John Harbaugh said helium was “really hopeful” that Jackson, the team’s astir important player, would commencement successful an fundamentally must-win game, Roman acknowledged the uncertainty astatine the position.

“You evidently privation to get your starter the reps” successful practice, Roman said. “But erstwhile there’s a accidental that aggregate guys could play, you’ve got to commencement to consider: Should we springiness this feline immoderate reps? Can this feline grip each those reps? Are we amended disconnected benignant of putting him connected a transportation count, spreading them out?

“So I deliberation there’s decidedly immoderate options there, and arsenic unsocial arsenic these situations person been, they’ve been beauteous straightforward up until this constituent due to the fact that we knew who our starter was going to be.”

Huntley, who’s impressed successful his 5 appearances this season, is expected to signifier Thursday without limitations aft missing Sunday’s blowout nonaccomplishment to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens’ 4th consecutive defeat. As the Ravens show Jackson’s progress, it’s imaginable the squad could hold to determine connected his availability arsenic precocious arsenic Sunday morning.

“I deliberation it truly comes down to, is helium acceptable to play?” Roman said. “I’m definite successful his mind, he’s acceptable to play, but I deliberation arsenic coaches, it’s our work to marque definite that he’s successful bully capable wellness that helium tin spell retired determination and play the mode we request him to play … and beryllium capable to play and marque definite he’s capable to support himself adequately.”